Rogue Trader Gets More Prison Time For Nobbling Jury With Help Of Wife

Conman: Patrick Cleere

A rogue trader will do more prison time and his loyal wife ordered to do community service for successfully nobbling a jury by handing out cash and business cards on the court steps.

The trial of roofer Patrick Cleere, 66, was scrapped after he and his wife Rita, 66, handed out twenty pound notes to potential jurors arriving at Blackfriars Crown Court.

The couple, of Ealing Village, Madeley Road, Ealing were both found guilty of doing an act to pervert the course of justice on July 16, last year.

A total of £920 cash was seized from people - including jurors - by the court’s listing officer and another £855 cash was confiscated by police from Rita Cleere.

Also seized were distinctive wooden business cards for Patrick Cleere’s company Candleverse Ltd.

Police are still searching for the £1,775 cash they seized from inside the courthouse and from Rita after it went missing from Walworth Stations’ secure property store.

Judge Justin Cole told Patrick Cleere, who has a criminal record of 53 offences: “You intended to, as demonstrated by the verdict of the jury, derail your trial.

“There had been requests of an adjournment, but this was your unlawful attempt to achieve your aim.

“You poisoned the well of potential jurors because so many people were canvassed outside the court building.

“In my assessment the appropriate punishment in your case is eighteen months imprisonment consecutive with the term you are currently serving.”

Cleere appeared via video link from HMP Thameside, where he is serving nine years for defrauding customers of £388,000.

Loyal Wife: Rita Cleere

Regarding Rita Cleere the judge announced he was showing “exceptional mercy” to her as she cared for her disabled grandson, who has a mental age of under two and was influenced by her “charismatic conman” husband.

She was ordered to complete 80 hours community service work and pay £200 costs.

Judge Cole added: “Rita, you can leave the dock. Consider yourself extremely lucky. What you did went to the heart of the administration of justice.” 

The nobbling scheme was initially successful and Patrick Cleere’s trial was postponed, however he later received nine years for the scam. 

The latest trial, at Harrow Crown Court, was told the Cleere’s recruited family and friends to dole out £20 notes and the business cards to potential jurors on the steps of the courthouse. 

Patrick Cleere had failed in repeated efforts to adjourn his rogue roofer trial and this was an attempt to scupper it by compromising potential jurors with cash handouts. 

The couple recruited family members and friends to help them and they were also arrested and charged, but were acquitted of perverting the course of justice.

They are: great-nephew Adam Cleere, 23, of Wellesley Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.

Patrick’s niece Natalie Cleere, 44, of Vineyard Court, Kings Parade, Clacton-on-Sea.

Rajiv Netto, 51, of

Rodden Road, Frome, Somerset and Hungarian national Hajnalka Romvari, 37.

The CPS dropped the same charge against Patrick’s brother John Cleere, 68, before the trial.

The acquitted defendants always maintained they were innocently working on a promotion scheme for Candleverse Ltd.

The group congregated around Blackfriars Crown Court, handing out the unique wooden business cards for Patrick’s candle company, plus the cash to everyone entering and leaving.

Jurors did take cash and many of the business cards were found in the jury room, resulting in the trial being postponed.  

Prosecutor Mr. Robin Sellers told the jury: “Patrick Cleere and five others were due to stand trial on criminal charges, which he asserted he was not ready for.

“On the day of the trial Patrick and these defendants arrived together, some carrying clipboard and all wearing lanyards around their necks showing his business card.

“They approached individuals making their way in, explaining they were representing Candleverse Ltd. and were enticing people to look at the company website.

“Instead of discount vouchers they handed out twenty pound notes and the wooden Candleverse business cards.

“Most importantly and uppermost in Patrick Cleere’s mind were that these people were potentially to be selected to serve on the jury for his trial.

“The company was in the evidence of the trial so jurors may have been compromised.

“Any juror would recognise Candleverse if they received a card and maybe view the company in a positive light, known as bribing or tampering with a jury.

“These defendants together carried out this act with the intention of derailing that trial that day.

“They were arrested that day outside Blackfriars Crown Court and Adam said he did not even know his great uncle was on trial and Rita described it as a: ‘charitable exercise.’

“All of this is nonsense. These defendants knew why they were there and what they were doing and that was to derail the trial.”