Owner of luxury car dealership in Yorkshire to go on trial accused of stealing customers' Porsches and fraud

Andrew Mearns, 54, ran Gmund Cars, which specialised in the sale and modification of classic models, from 2006 until the business was dissolved. He had a showroom at the Nidd Valley Business Park in Knaresborough.

Mearns, now living in Wales, appeared at York Crown Court on Thursday to give his pleas to all 16 of the charges against him, which span a period of time from 2015 until 2020. Thirteen of the allegations related to fraud for personal gain against customers, including one of carrying out work other than what was agreed, while three were of stealing a Porsche vehicle.

He is accused of the theft of Adrian Pyrah’s £130,000 Porsche 356 in 2019, John Hebson’s £160,000 Porsche Turbo in 2018 and a Porsche 911 Carrera worth £65,000 in 2018.

Other victims named in court were Peter Whitby, Marcus Singh, Anthony Place, Matthew Lancaster, John Reeder, Matthew Saphier, Robert Hayes and David Bell.

Mearns denied all charges and the court was told that due to the expected three-week duration of the trial involving 25 witnesses, the case would have to be accommodated at a larger venue yet to be finalised and could not take place at York Crown.

Mearns’ defence rests on his barrister’s assertion that much of the evidence against him is ‘contestable’.

Mearns, who was granted unconditional bail until his trial, has since been declared bankrupt. His wife Samantha, who was involved in the company until 2018, is a former Conservative councillor for Knaresborough Scriven Park and caseworker for local MP Andrew Jones. She is not facing any criminal charges.