Hitchin, Hertfordshire, UK – New information has surfaced, detailing further allegations of corruption, police misconduct, and obstruction of justice in the ongoing case surrounding the property at 54, Woolgrove Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
The case centers around Stephen Flattery, alleged head of a Hitchin, Hertfordshire-based Organised Crime Group (OCG), who is accused of boasting of his close links to local law enforcement and criminally trespassing at the unregistered property, which reportedly became a site for drug use, drug distribution and a series of frauds involving the OCG.
Background
The prosecution's case outlines Stephen Flattery's significant role in directing agents, servants, stooges, and affiliates to engage in criminal activity to take possession of the land for his personal gain. Allegations span from 2006 to 2021, involving a criminal conspiracy with John Dolan to gain control of the property through criminal trespass, fraud, forgery, money laundering, and perverting the course of public justice.
In a sophisticated and premeditated act, Flattery and Dolan allegedly made false representations to HM Land Registry in 2012, filing false statements of truth and submitting a false declaration to alter the HM Land Registry Caution Register. The aim was to obtain possession of the property by fraudulent means.
Prior to this, in 2010, the OCG allegedly registered a sham UK shell company, Shearson Lemond Ltd, at the property for fraudulent purposes, with Dolan named as Director. The company was used to apply for loans without the intention of repayment, defrauding lenders, including Heritage Trust, a private capital investment fund headquartered in the Cayman Islands with a branch office in the British Virgin Islands. Heritage Trust was allegedly defrauded out of £255,000 using the property as collateral and inflating its valuation with forged documents.
Forged Tenancy Agreement and Police Inaction
On January 14, 2019, Flattery allegedly forged a bogus Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement (AST) with Dolan, setting the term at 3 years and 1 day. Investigators found the document to be of poor quality, filled with errors, and missing pages (See below). The agreement was allegedly witnessed by Flattery's mother, Odette Trimble. Tenancy agreements longer than three years must be in the form of a "Deed," as required by statute.
The fraudulent document was allegedly ignored by Detective Constable David Quinn, CPS lawyer Andrew Sarkany, and Crown prosecutor James Norman, raising serious concerns about obstruction of justice and potential conspiracy.
Flattery's Fraudulent Conduct
Flattery is accused of falsely stating in a witness statement dated October 13, 2022, that he met John Dolan on February 12, 2020. He also allegedly falsely claimed to have paid £150-£160 per week in rent from May 2020, and a £5,000 cash deposit, and between £40,000-£50,000 for renovations to the property. Flattery faced significant charges at Westminster Magistrates' Court [see charges below].
Flattery is accused of submitting a false witness statement to the Crown Court at Peterborough against an employee of a Tuscany Trust subsidiary and making fraudulent representations to the County Court at Central London to avoid enforcement of a High Court judgment award dated December 19, 2021. He also allegedly provided a false address to the County Court at Central London on December 13, 2021.
Police Complicity and Allegations of Corruption
The article cites a "failure by Hertfordshire Police Detectives to show the necessary amount of professional curiosity" in reviewing the forged tenancy agreement. It is alleged that officers were duped by Flattery's "false and incredulous narrative" that Dolan drew up a tenancy agreement allowing Flattery to renovate the house, with costs deducted from the sale price, despite Dolan not owning the property.
In 2020, Flattery allegedly boasted in Dolan's presence about having an "inside link to the Police" and being "bulletproof" in selling the property without title.
Further allegations indicate that a former policeman, Detective Constable David Quinn, ignored the fraudulent nature of the tenancy agreement and that DS Anna Luxon and DS Sian Beames certified a false MG5 document for submission to the Crown Court at Peterborough.
History of the Property and OCG Involvement
The property at 54 Woolgrove Road was purchased in 1973 by Edward Whiting and his parents. It remains unregistered land lawfully owned by Cheryl Plummer LP.
In 2002, the property was assigned to Whiting Timmis and Partners Trust (BVI) under a loan agreement following an application by Dolan, purporting to act as Power of Attorney for Edward Whiting, to Heritage Trust (BVI). Edward Whiting passed away unexpectedly in 2003, and the property reportedly came under the control of Flattery, Dolan, and the OCG.
From 2007, the property was allegedly used by the OCG to sell, distribute, and allow the consumption of drugs, becoming a "locally known drug den and a regular squat." In 2010, the OCG formed Shearson Lemond Ltd, registered at the property, with Dolan as Director.
In 2011, Dolan restructured the Heritage Trust loan, increasing its value and offering further guarantees from Shearson Lemond Ltd. In 2012, Dolan used the Caution Register to request Heritage Trust to alter the name of the loan applicant to Shearson Lemond Ltd. Dolan then borrowed the maximum available amount of £250,000 without the intention of repaying.
The OCG allegedly executed an "exit plan" to distance themselves from the fraud, with Daniel Lambie, a convicted criminal, allowed to reside at the property.
Debt and Ownership
In 2013, Heritage Trust Cayman Islands issued default notices. In 2014, Shearson Lemond Ltd became insolvent and was struck off. In 2016, Lambie challenged the HM Land Registry Caution, attempting to profit from the situation. He was later imprisoned for fraud.
In 2018, Heritage Trust Cayman Islands sold the Shearson Lemond debt to Tuscany 1980 Trust (BVI). In 2020, Tuscany Trust Holdings Trustees (BVI), a subsidiary of Tuscany Trust, assigned the cause of action to recover collateral and assets to Tuscany Trust Holdings LP (UK).
In August 2020, Tuscany Trust Holdings Trustees (BVI) registered a Caution against First Registration of the property, revealing fraudulent Cautions previously registered by Dolan and Lambie.
In January 2021, Tuscany Trust Holdings Trustees obtained a judgment for the outstanding debt amount from Whiting Timmis and Partners Trust (BVI), a wholly owned subsidiary following the acquisition of the Heritage Trust debt relating to Shearon Lemond Ltd and Whiting Timmis and Partners Trust (BVI).
In 2021, the County Courts ordered the collateral forfeited to the creditor, legally transferring the property to Tuscany Trust Holdings Trustees. Tuscany Trust Holdings Trustees (BVI) hired Nathan Alphonso and Partners (BVI) in the Civil action involving the OCG.
In 2022, Tuscany Trust Holdings Trustees LP bought an equity stake in Cheryl Plummer LP, including the assignment of all debt books relating to the fraud. In 2023, Cheryl Plummer LP was granted possession of the property by the High Court.
Allegations of Obstruction of Justice
The article further details allegations that Flattery misled the High Court during an oral examination in October 2022, denying having assets, cash, vehicles, or contracts, and falsely claiming the property was intestate.
Cheryl Plummer LP brought High Court civil proceedings, which have already found Stephen Flattery liable for lost rental income and granted a writ of possession for his removal from the property. Flattery, allegedly aided and abetted by Hertfordshire Police Constabulary, misled Master Davidson sitting in the High Court King's Bench to grant a stay of execution of the writ in a crude attempt to pervert the course of justice.
The article also raises questions about a 2023 private prosecution of Tuscany 1980 Trust v Stephen Flattery. It alleges that the private prosecution remitted from Westminster Magistrates' Court to Cambridge Crown Court has suffered from obstruction due to the intervention of "corrupt Hertfordshire Police Constabulary officers" and alleged corrupt Chiltern and Herts CPS senior lawyer Andrew Sarkany in "a self serving abuse of office and obstruction of justice."
The article concludes by stating that "the incident has shown the criminal justice system in parts of the UK to be influenced and infiltrated by criminal associates."
 Bogus AST Rental Agreement.pdf | [Odette Hulcup and Flattery Fraud Conspiracy] | 2600 kB |
| Bogus Renovation_Contract.pdf | [Odette Hulcup and Flattery Fraud Conspiracy] | 2547 kB |
| Flattery_County Court_Misrepresentation.pdf | [Flattery Caught Perverting the Course of Public Justice] | 83 kB |
| Flattery_Financial Examination_Misrepresentation.pdf | [Flattery Caught Perverting the Course of Public Justice] | 1348 kB |
| Flattery_Mother_Odette Hulculp.pdf | [Odette Hulcup Flattery's mother aided frauds] | 188 kB |
| Flattery_Summons_Case No_012400129653 .pdf | [Flattery Criminal Charges] | 314 kB |
| Fraud Company Shearson Lemond Ltd.pdf | [OCG Sham Company used £250K Fraud] | 151 kB |
