City banker Adam Lancelot jailed for fraud asks 'Is this serious?'

Huge legal bill: Adam Lancelot spent thousands trying to suppress online reports of his conviction
Central News
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A banking compliance officer who forged a court document to keep his £60,000-a-year City job asked, “Is this serious?” as he was jailed for six months.

Adam Lancelot, 39, was caught claiming benefits while working for Barclays Wealth and Bank of America in 2012 and was sentenced to 300 hours of community service.

In 2014, he was appointed head of compliance at currency exchange firm Worldwide Currencies. He was suspended when it found out about his conviction during an audit. However, he produced a document, purporting to be from Maidstone crown court, which said he had been acquitted on appeal. He also used the document to bully media outlets into removing online stories about his past.

However, the document was found to be a crude forgery and Lancelot, of Seaford, East Sussex, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation at City of London magistrates’ court.

At his sentencing on Friday, the Old Bailey heard that Lancelot had a 2002 caution for obtaining property by deception and a 12-month conditional discharge in 2006 for handling stolen goods. Archangelo Power, defending, said: “His job in the banking world is finished.”

Sentencing Lancelot, Judge Brendan Finucane QC said: “It was both clever and manipulative, and undermines the court system, bringing it into disrepute.”

Lancelot shouted: “Is this serious? Can I appeal the decision?”

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