Runaway fraudster starts jail term

A fugitive businessman who cheated riding stables, stud farms and livery yards of pounds 1m, was yesterday brought back to Britain from South Africa to begin a 33-month jail sentence.

Peter Lane, 54, of Hopwood, Worcestershire, and a fellow director of his company, were convicted a year ago of two fraud charges after a 10- week trial. He went missing while on bail and was sentenced in his absence. Chris Mowbray