Peter Taylor - also known as Peter Tillott - swindled elderly and vulnerable people out of their antiques and valuables
(Picture: HMRC)A rogue antiques dealer who swindled elderly and vulnerable West London homeowners out of their prized possessions and life savings is facing jail.
Peter Taylor, 61, held himself out as an expert as he toured homes and businesses around Kensington, Chelsea, Notting Hill, and Fulham, offering valuations of items that may be put up for sale.
Victims handed over their art works, antiques, and treasures to Taylor, only to find he had sold them without permission, put them on eBay for a fraction of their worth, or simply kept them.
Isleworth crown court heard some of the victims lost their life savings to the conman, and have been left angry and distrusting since the betrayal.
Judge Sarah Paneth sent Taylor – previously known as Peter Tillott – on Thursday, warning him he faces years behind bars when the sentence is ultimately passed later this month.
“We have a fraudster who has taken items and disposed of them”, she said, adjourning the sentencing hearing due to lack of time.
“It’s much better for you to start your sentence straight away, you know it is going to be a lengthy one.”
Taylor used flyers and business cards with the trading names ‘Chelsea Auction House’ and ‘Muck2Brass’ to promote his services, and claimed to be from an established auction house.
“A number of elderly and vulnerable victims were targeted by the defendant”, said prosecutor Katrina Charles. “He purported to be from an established auction house in Chelsea. There was an offer to collect items and value them, and sell them if the valuation figure was agreed.”
Ms Charles said Taylor “offered to value them at his workplace, and in some instances offered to invite experts to attend his work premises to consider the items and provide an expert valuation.
“He then offered to discuss the value with them before selling the items. “The defendant either stored the items or sold some of them, but did not forward the proceeds to the victims.
“In each and every case, he collected items and thereafter he would either cease contact or not recall phone calls.” Prosecutors say the items taken away by Taylor between March 2016 and February 2019 have been valued at a total of £267,000.
Taylor argues the value is much smaller. Under his former name, Taylor had once featured on Channel 5’s Cowboy Builders programme and was jailed in 2012 for a £3 million VAT scam.
In the antiques scam, one of the victims, Roy Turner, said Taylor took away his collection of painting and art print, including works by Francis Bacon worth between £5,000 and £10,000.
“It had taken a whole lifetime to build up the collection of great sentimental value”, said Ms Charles. “He wanted to raise money to help his son and daughter-in-law to buy a house, but due to the loss of the items he doesn’t have the money to be able to help them.”
In a victim impact statement, Mr Turner added: “I now realise I’m probably a vulnerable old man – I didn’t think I was.”
Top chef Eric Payet asked Taylor, a friend, to clear out two of his Surrey restaurants, La Rive and the Hare and Hounds, containing works of art and expensive kitchen equipment worth a total of £112,000. Ms Charles said the chef had to take a job in Saudi Arabia after suffering financial difficulties from the fraud, and has been separated from his wife and children.
“He couldn’t get back on the business ladder because of the enormous loss suffered as a result of the defendant’s fraudulent actions”, said the prosecutor. “He has suffered countless sleepless nights, and a strain has been put on the relationship with his family. “He was embarrassed because he had placed his trust in Peter Taylor, who he considered a friend because they had had previous business dealings and he felt he could trust him.”
The court heard some victims attempted to track down Taylor, visiting his business premises to discover they were not in operation. Veteran antiques dealer Maria Gabriela Ponce de Leao handed over items she valued at up to £50,000, and said she “felt sick” when she discovered some on eBay. She found a Cartier box and 18-Carat gold ring, worth £450, on sale for £28, the court heard.
Another of the victims, Lady Patsy Alliott, 90, said she was “trusting in people and had trusted Mr Taylor”, and was “embarrassed” that she was fooled.
Taylor, from Twickenham, denied but was convicted at trial of 11 counts of fraud.
He was remanded in custody until sentencing on March 31.
