Three men face 27 charges in high-stakes financial fraud trial
Three men have appeared in court over allegations of multi-million pound financial crimes. Edward Watkin Gittins, Paul Garrett, and Nigel Graeme Kneale face a combined total of 27 charges, including theft, fraud, and false accounting. All three defendants were granted bail during their hearing before Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood on January 20.
The charges break down as follows: Gittins, aged 75, faces 16 counts, including theft, false accounting, and fraud by abuse of position. Garrett, 64, is accused of seven offences—primarily theft and converting criminal property. Kneale, 58, is charged with four counts of theft.
The defendants intend to challenge their committal to the Court of General Gaol Delivery. Their legal team argues there is no case to answer. Meanwhile, Gittins has applied for a temporary advocate's licence to secure representation by a UK-based advocate.
A separate hearing has been set for April 8 to address the issue of calling prosecution witnesses at the committal stage. James Robinson, the legal representative for one of the parties, has already lodged an objection against a previous ruling that permitted two key witnesses to testify during the contested pre-trial proceedings.
Bail remains in place for all three men as the legal process continues. The next hearing on April 8 will determine whether prosecution witnesses can be called during the committal proceedings. The case will then proceed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery unless the challenge succeeds.
