Barton Park Nursing Home owner and General Manager jailed

THE Barton Park Nursing Home, in Southport might have its website down today, but it was not the only thing that has gone down in connection to the Nursing Home.

On it's Facebook Page which was last updated on 14 September 2014, it said:- "We believe our residents and their guests should only enjoy the finest food in their retirement. Our 5* rated kitchen prepare all of our meals fresh, to the specific order and requirements of of residents, using as much locally sourced produce as possible."

On Friday, 13 July 2018, the care home owner was jailed for 21 years after the fraud case was described by Judge Steven Everett, at Liverpool Crown Court, as the "most brazen" he had ever seen.

The case was also to become the longest case ever to be heard at Liverpool Crown Court and the biggest fraud investigation ever undertaken by Merseyside Police.

Among his victims was the widow of former Everton FC chairman Bill Scott, Patricia Anderson Scott, who the Court heard had £1.4 million taken from her.

Over the 2 day sentencing hearing Benjamin Myers QC, prosecuting, said that Barton would groom:- "wealthy, vulnerable and childless" residents before draining their bank accounts and becoming a beneficiary in their wills.

David Barton (formerly known as Ramamurthie Dasaratha), 63, from Birkdale, was found guilty of 4 counts of conspiracy to defraud, 1 count of fraud, 3 counts of theft, false accounting and transferring criminal property after a trial which lasted a year.

Also jailed for 6 years was Rosemary Booth, 69, from Southport, who acted as Barton park Nursing Home's General Manager, for her part in the conspiracy to defraud on 3 counts of conspiracy to defraud.

Judge Steven Everett as he sentenced Barton said:- "I am struggling to remember anyone as dishonest as him, as morally bankrupt as him. You are a despicably greedy man, a hypocrite who claimed you were caring for the residents. I'm quite sure the person you cared for the most is no one, but yourself, not even your family, with your insatiable appetite for fancy cars and building your property empire."

Merseyside Police said that:- "The offences came to light in February 2014 when David Barton attempted to sue the family of 1 of his victims for non-payment of money which he falsely claimed he was owed. Concerns were raised by solicitors representing the estate of Katie Willey, who had passed away, and her husband Gordon Willey. They believed a fraudulent ₤8 million civil action had been brought by David Barton against the couple to settle an alleged contract which he claimed Katie had verbally agreed to before her death."

This claim lead on to both David and Lucinda Barton being arrested on 13 June 2014, when documents and computers were seized.

As Barton's activities and finances were probed, the investigation identified a total of 6 victims who had been defrauded of millions of pounds.

Merseyside Police told us that:- "Most were women who had recently lost their husbands, were wealthy and had no dependants. No contracts have ever been identified and Barton claimed they had made verbal agreements to gift him money, leave it in their wills or made an agreement to provide lifelong care in exchange for all their wealth. The investigation established that Barton had been identifying wealthy elderly people and grooming them, isolating them from their family and taking control of their assets and finances until he became their executor and residual beneficiary of their wills. Large payments were then taken from the victims' accounts which were then spent on properties and vehicles by David Barton."

The investigation went on to discover that after the arrests, David Barton sold 4 Ferraris for more than ₤1 million, and 2 Rolls Royce vehicles for ₤250,000, before a Financial Restraint was granted to prevent the selling of 20 properties and 4 more vehicles with an estimated total value of ₤6 million to ₤8 million.

Detective Inspector Jon Smith, who led the investigation, said:- "We welcome the fact that David Barton and Rosemary Booth are now behind bars. For 16 years, they preyed upon wealthy, elderly people in Southport, bleeding them of their hard earned savings and enjoying a lavish lifestyle of fast cars, holidays and multiple properties as a result. Barton ruthlessly groomed his victims, gaining their trust and confidence to such an extent that when we spoke to his victims, some found it very difficult to accept that they were victims. But our team of detectives were determined to unravel the truth; that he had heartlessly exploited vulnerable people when they most needed someone to care for them. These were people who had worked hard all their lives, only for David Barton to step in, pretend to have their best interests at heart; then take thousands and thousands of pounds of their money. His offending came to light because his greed led him to sue a family who realised an ₤8 million civil claim against them was fraudulent. I want to thank that family, who have undoubtedly spared other families from suffering the same fate by coming forward with their concerns. Our priority was always to deliver justice for the victims, and to prevent more elderly people from being defrauded by Barton. It has been a long and complex investigation, but being here for today's result has made those efforts feel worthwhile. I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our investigating officers who spent 3 years going through a huge amount of evidence, speaking to witnesses and interviewing Barton, Booth and others. The vast majority of people involved in the care of the elderly do a fantastic job. David Barton has let those people down, as well the people he was paid to look after. I want to appeal to families to make sure their elderly loved ones are being looked after properly, that the care homes they are in are legitimate and there are written contracts in place guaranteeing their financial rights. If you have any concerns or if you suspect an offence is being committed please contact Police on:- 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on:- 0800 555 111."

David Barton was found guilty after trial of:-

► Conspiracy to defraud contrary to Common Law. (Victim:- Patricia Anderson Scott)

►  Theft - contrary to section 1(1) of the Theft Act 1968. (Victim:- Patricia Anderson Scott)

►  2 x theft contrary to section 1(1) of the Theft Act 1968. (Victim:- Margaret Pinnington)

►  Fraud contrary to section 1 of the Fraud Act 2006 (Victim:- Rita Gibson)

►  Conspiracy to defraud contrary to Common Law. (Victim:- Ronald Ward Howlett)

►  Conspiracy to defraud contrary to Common Law. (Victims:- Gordon and Katie Willey)

►  Conspiracy to defraud contrary to Common Law. (Civil Claim Gordon and Katie Willey)

►  False accounting contrary to section 17(1) of the Theft Act 1968.

►  Transferring criminal property, contrary to Section 327(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (money laundering)

Rosemary Booth was found guilty after trial of:-

►  Conspiracy to defraud contrary to Common Law. (Victim:- Ronald Ward Howlett)

►  Conspiracy to defraud contrary to Common Law. (Victims:- Gordon and Katie Willey)

►  Conspiracy to defraud contrary to Common Law. (Civil Claim Gordon and Katie Willey)

Fact file:-

►  Investigation length:- 3 years.

►  Trial length:- 12 months (began 8 May 2017 and concluded 11 May 2018)

►  Number of victims:- 6.

►  David Barton moved to the UK from South Africa with his family in the 1960's.

►  David Barton and his wife Lucinda became directors of his mother and father's nursing home business Choice Classic Ltd in 1992.

►  David Barton was originally called Ramamurthie Dasaratha Naidoo and changed his name in June 2005.

►  David Barton is said to have renamed his Oxford Road Care Home to Barton Park in 2015.