Evening Press leader

Stephen Seddon and William John Lavery can consider themselves very lucky men. Today Seddon began the first full day of a 12-month prison sentence for his part in a £2 million fraud against North Yorkshire businesses. Lavery escaped jail altogether because of his health problems.

The men got off lightly. Many offenders have been jailed for a lot longer for a lot less.

Judge David Bryant cut Seddon's sentence partly because he preyed on businessmen, not elderly people. That seems a very dubious message to send out to the army of con artists still operating. It implies that ripping off the business community is a relatively minor transgression.

That is not how Seddon and Lavery's victims will see it. They were fraudulently relieved of hundreds of pounds, money they could ill afford to lose, money they will never see again.

This was a very cynical crime. The con men targeted young, small businesses, exactly the firms that would be desperate for the sort of cash injection they were promised.

They also exploited widespread confusion about European financial aid. By becoming director of European Business Support Ltd, the real Seddon hid himself under a veneer of expertise. In reality his only skill was to take people for as much as he could get.

While he lived the high life, cruising on the QE2 and driving a Bentley, his victims were struggling with their cashflows and wage bills.

We have the dedicated efforts of North Yorkshire trading standards officers to thank for bringing these two to justice. Small businesses need this support and protection.

The prosecutors could be forgiven for feeling disappointed that Seddon, in all likelihood, will be a free man again before the year is out. This seems a small price for a swindler to pay for enjoying a life of luxury at the expense of the small business community.

see also 'Businesses count cost as grants fraudster is jailed'

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.