Former Blues’ Owner Fails in Appeal against Conviction
The former owner of Waterford FC has failed in his bid to have his July 2023 conviction for fraud overturned.
A hearing at the Court of Appeal in London heard that Andy Pilley had an undiagnosed medical condition at the time of his trial, the impact of which, would have rendered his convictions unsafe.
Pilley, who owned a number of businesses in the UK energy sector, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for his crimes.
A two day hearing at the Court of Appeal in London this week, heard how Pilley, the former owner of Waterford FC and Fleetwood Town was seeking to have his convictions overturned on the basis that he experienced "Disadvantage through Difference" as a result of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADHD - not being recognised at the time of his trial.
However, the three judges hearing the case took just ten minutes to dismiss the appeal, ruling that the conviction must stand.
Following his trial, PIlley resigned as Chairman of Fleetwood Town where he had held the position for twenty years and also at Waterford FC, with ownership of the Blues transferring to his son Jamie. The Fleetwood Group had acquired Waterford FC in August 2022, just months before the trial commenced.
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