Tycoon and wife face home fraud charges

MILLIONAIRE Barry Hughes and his wife appeared in court together in public for the first time yesterday to face mortgage-fraud charges.

The boxing tycoon, 32, and his wife Jacqueline, 35, are alleged to have lied about income on mortgage applications totalling almost 1.5 million.

They also face several charges under the Proceeds of Crime Act for profiting from the sale of the properties that they bought.

Mr Hughes is also accused of buying a car worth more than 80,000 and a 30,000 watch with some of the profits.

The pair, of Kilmacolm, appeared in the dock together at Glasgow Sheriff Court for a procedural hearing on the case. They both denied the charges.

Lawyer Iain Fleming, representing Mr Hughes, asked the court to adjourn the case until October this year for further investigations.

Sheriff Linda Ruxton granted the adjournment. The trial was set for 3 October.