Paul Flowers: Fraud-accused ex-Co-op Bank boss suffered stroke

Former Co-operative Bank chairman Paul Flowers had a stroke the day before he was due in court accused of fraud, a judge has been told.

Mr Flowers, 73, who has been a Labour councillor in both Rochdale and Bradford, did not attend a hearing at Manchester Magistrates court last week.

His lawyer Elizabeth Ridgway told the court he had the stroke on 29 August and needed time to recover.

District Judge Tom Mitchell adjourned the hearing for a month.

Ms Ridgway said her client had sent an email on 30 August - the day of the first hearing - to say he had had a stroke the previous day and had been in hospital.

A letter had also been received from the community psychiatric services which said the stroke had impacted Mr Flowers' mobility and he was struggling to leave his home in Swinton, Salford.

Ms Ridgway said the letter asked for Flowers to be given time to recover both his physical and mental health.

Mr Flowers, a former Methodist minister, is accused of defrauding a woman of carpets and by using cheques while acting under a power of attorney.

The full charge against him listed in court reads: "Between 28/6/16 and 28/10/17 at Salford committed fraud in that while occupying a position, namely Enduring Power of Attorney, in which you were expected to safeguard, or not act against the financial interests of Margaret Mary Jarvis, you dishonestly abused that position intending thereby to make a gain, namely staircase, carpets and 11 cheques paid to the defendant, for yourself, contrary to Sections 1 and 4 of the Fraud Act 2006."

Judge Mitchell adjourned the hearing to 4 October and asked Mr Flowers' lawyer to update the court on the "prognosis and diagnosis" of the defendant.

He added: "A person must be before the court before they can be dealt with. He has to appear here at some point."

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