City of London police probed after collapse of fraud trial with ‘expert witness’ Andrew Ager

A dozen convictions achieved with Ager’s help are in doubt now he has been exposed as not of ‘suitable calibre’
Andrew Ager admitted he had no academic credentials
Andrew Ager admitted he had no academic credentials
EASTLONDONADVERTISER.CO.UK

Two police officers face disciplinary action after the collapse of a fraud trial amid claims that expert witnesses — one of whom was not of “suitable calibre” — were coached.

The City of London detectives investigated an alleged £3.5m cold-calling scam in which eight men were accused of duping 72 people into making bad investments in carbon credits and diamonds.

Andrew Ager, a former carbon trader, gave evidence as an expert witness, but the case was thrown out after he admitted under cross-examination that he had no academic qualifications and had never read a book on carbon credits.

The fact that he was not of a “suitable calibre” and other “apparently insuperable problems” led prosecutors to abandon the “fatally flawed” case, said Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith,