Man accused of fraud is on the run

A man accused of ripping off mourners is on the run from police after failing to attend a court hearing.

Julian Karl Gaunt (52) had previously pleaded not guilty to eight counts of fraud relating to failing to supply memorial headstones to customers.

Last Thursday he failed to attend when his case was listed for a pre-trial hearing at Lincoln Crown Court leading to an arrest warrant being issued.

He had been due to go on trial at Lincoln Crown Court in April last year – but the hearing was adjourned because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The hearing was told Gaunt had not replied to registered mail sent to his last known address.

It was the second time Gaunt’s trial had been adjourned after it was originally listed in 2019.

Judge Simon Hirst issued a warrant for Gaunt’s arrest, stating: “Mr Gaunt has a duty to keep his solicitors informed of his whereabouts.”

Gaunt is bring prosecuted by Lincolnshire Trading Standards.

No new trial date has yet been set.

At a previous court hearing in November 2018, Gaunt, then of Queen’s Road, Spalding, pleaded not guilty to eight charges of fraud.

The alleged offences related to the supply and erection of memorial head stones on dates between October 20, 2015 and July 22, 2016.

He also denied a further charge of theft of a memorial headstone between July 1 and December 31, 2016.

A spokesman for Lincolnshire Police, said: “Anyone with information as to his whereabouts is asked to call 101 with occurrence number 21000262510.”