Assistant To Business Scribe Sir Samuel Brittan Charged With Defrauding Him

Sir Samuel Brittan

An assistant to veteran business journalist Sir Samuel Brittan has been charged with defrauding him of approximately £96,000.

Michelle Brathwaite, 46, of Whitstable House, Silchester Road, North Kensington, was too ill to attend City of London Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Her lawyer Nasreen Tincey told the court: “The reason she is not here is she was rushed to hospital with a suspected stroke. She’s been released, but her condition is still quite bad.

Sir Samuel, 83, is the elder brother of the late Sir Leon Brittan, who died in January, 2015 aged seventy-five and was the former Home Secretary to Margaret Thatcher.

He was the first economics correspondent for the Financial Times, where he still writes a column and was the economics editor at The Observer.

Cambridge graduate Sir Samuel is also a member of the Academic Advisory Council of the Global Warming Policy Foundation. 

Brathwaite was summonsed on a charge of fraud by abuse of position between August 1, 2016 and April 30, in that as a trusted friend and helper withdrew and transferred sums of money from Sir Samuel’s Coutts & Co. bank account to make a gain, namely £93,500.

She also faces two counts of fraud by false representation on dates between August 1, 2016 and April 7, firstly that she submitted a document that she had third party payment authorisation to Sir Samuel’s American Express bank account with intent to make a gain, namely £96,000.

Secondly that she had permission to use Sir Samuel’s American Express card to pay for goods and services to make a gain, namely £96,000.

Brathwaite is also charged with stealing £91,000 from Sir Samuel between April 1 and 30, this year.

The case was adjourned to November 28, when Brathwaite is expected to return.