Lapland New Forest brother 'bounced cheque'

Brothers Victor (left) and Henry Mears deny all the charges against them

A man accused of misleading customers at a Lapland-themed attraction was convinced to work on the project by his brother, a court has heard.

Henry Mears took on initial responsibilities of advertising and co-ordinating the business' website.

He was to receive 10% of ticket sales but a jury was shown a bank statement showing a £100,000 cheque given to him by his brother Victor had bounced.

Victor and Henry Mears, of Brighton, deny misleading thousands of customers.

The jury at Bristol Crown Court heard Henry Mears, 60, of Coombe Road, had previously been working nights as a taxi driver.

'Mind-blowingly good'

During his defence, he told the court it was his job to portray Victor's vision for Lapland New Forest on the advertising and website.

"Victor's idea was to do the ultimate Christmas grotto, outside as opposed to inside," he told the court.

Admitting that the photographs on the website were not of Lapland New Forest, he asked how could they be because it was the first time it was being held.

Mr Mears admitted the photographs on the website were not of Lapland New Forest

"It was showing the Christmas spirit to good-minded people," he said.

He added that in his opinion, the attraction was everything they promised customers it would be.

The court heard, however, that he wished a bit more effort had gone towards making the advertised Tunnel of Light visible during the day, a complaint heard from many visitors.

"What they did produce was absolutely mind-blowingly good at night," Mr Mears said.

"It would have been easy to make it more effective for the whole time. But for the majority of the time, people were blown away by the lights."

From being solely responsible for advertising, after Victor Mears' illness, Henry Mears became a "messenger boy and labourer" at the site, the court was told.

He did everything from paying contractors to odd jobs such as helping transport the reindeer and coating the sheds with a thick preservative, the idea being that they could be re-used for future events.

Like his brother, Henry Mears told the court that he made no money from Lapland New Forest, at Matchams Leisure Park on the Hampshire-Dorset border.

He told the jury he lost money because he was not driving his taxi during the whole time he was involved.

The brothers face five charges of engaging in a commercial practice which is a misleading action and three charges of engaging in a commercial practice which is a misleading omission.

They deny all the charges.

The trial continues.