Ed Sheeran cancelled resold tickets to tackle touts - court hears

The two defendants deny fraudulently buying and reselling tickets for gigs, including Ed Sheeran performances

A jury has heard how Ed Sheeran's management tried to combat touts by voiding tickets resold for profit.

Mark Woods, 59, and Lynda Chenery, 51, of Dickleburgh, Norfolk, each deny three counts of fraudulent trading, in relation to the firm TQ Tickets Ltd.

In a statement, Sheeran's manager Stuart Camp detailed how the singer's team tried to limit the resales.

He said the Suffolk-raised star had wanted to keep tickets "accessible for as many people as possible".

The trial at Leeds Crown Court has heard how the defendants are accused of using multiple identities to buy tickets for artists such as Sheeran and Little Mix, before selling them on secondary ticket sites for profit.

Mr Camp explained how tickets for Sheeran's 2018 tour were priced at between £50 and £80 for the London dates and £45 and £75 outside the capital.

He said tickets could have been sold for a higher price but this was a "long-term business strategy that we see as ethical".

Ed Sheeran's manager said he played 120 concerts in 2018 to around four million people

Mr Camp outlined the measures he and promoter Stuart Galbraith went to as they tried to prevent tickets for the stadium tour being resold at inflated prices.

Those with resold tickets would not be allowed into a stadium and concert-goers would have to bring ID and proof of purchase to the events.

Only one outlet, Twickets, was contracted to resell tickets, at face value prices.

In his statement, Mr Galbraith said he also wrote to three key figures at the reselling site Viagogo to warn them of the consequences of re-selling tickets.

Fans who tried to enter gigs with tickets bought on the site were given letters to help them get a refund from the firm and offered new tickets at face value.

He said about 6,300 replacement tickets were sold during the tour to those with unauthorised tickets.

During his 2018 tour Ed Sheeran performed 18 concerts at five venues including Wembley Stadium

The jury heard National Trading Standards investigators had found workers at TQ Tickets Ltd had bought 70 tickets for the tour at an average price of £74.17.

Danielle Graham, prosecuting, said other evidence suggested 150 tickets had been bought by 23 different card holders and a further 200 tickets had been bought as part of group packages.

Ms Graham said that the firm sold 148 tickets to concerts on the tour at an average price of £165.52.

Prosecutors said that TQ Tickets Ltd made more than £6.5m from secondary ticketing sites in two and a half years.

Maria Chenery-Woods, who prosecutors said was the "driving force" behind the "dishonest enterprise", admitted fraudulent trading along with Paul Douglas.

Their respective spouses, Mr Woods and Ms Chenery, deny the charges and are currently on trial.

Ms Chenery is also Chenery-Woods's sister.