Man changes plea to guilty at hearing over £13.7m pension transfer fraud

A defendant charged in connection with a multi-million-pound pension fraud investigation by the UK's The Pensions Regulator (TPR) changed his plea to guilty at a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 14 January.

In a statement, TPR alleged that between 2012 and 2014, 245 savers were persuaded to transfer their pension savings - totalling £13.7m - into 11 pension schemes under the control of three defendants - Alan Barratt, Julian Hanson and Susan Dalton.

Alan Barratt, 61 of Brooklands, Burnham Road, Althorne, Essex, had previously pleaded not guilty to a charge of fraud by abuse of position at a previous hearing.

Susan Dalton, 65, Geneva Terrace, Rochdale, Greater Manchester, entered a guilty plea at a previous hearing.

Julian Hanson, 56, Lea Road, Batley, pleaded not guilty on a previous occasion.

The case was adjourned until 13 June, when Hanson will stand trial at Southwark Crown Court.

All defendants who have pleaded, or are found, guilty will be sentenced at the conclusion of that trial.

All the defendants have been released on conditional bail.