Year-long wait for fraud trial

A TURKISH Cypriot businessman who voluntarily returned to Britain after 17 years to face fraud charges learned yesterday that he will have to wait more than a year for the trial which he insists will vindicate him.

Asil Nadir, 69, made a brief appearance at London’s Central Criminal court. He faces 66 counts of theft for allegedly stealing £34 million (€40.8m) from his collapsed Polly Peck business empire, but the number of charges may be reduced to as few as 15.