TV show scam case trio in court (From Penarth Times)

TV show scam case trio in court

A SULLY born army major accused of cheating his way to the jackpot prize on ITV's Who Wants to be a Millionaire, appeared with his wife and lecturer pal at Southwark Crown Court yesterday.

Major Charles William Ingram, 39, his wife Diana, 39, both of Devizes, Wiltshire, and Tecwen Whittock, 52, head of Business Studies at Pontypridd College, Cardiff, from Whitchurch, were each bailed unconditionally to return on October 23.

All three are charged with conspiring between January 21 and September 11, last year, with a view to gain, to dishonesty procure Chris Tarrant to sign a cheque.

They all face a lesser charge of procuring the execution of a valuable security on September 10, by deception.

Each spoke once, replying "yes" to confirm their names in the seven minute hearing before Judge Peter Fingret.

Major Ingram was dressed in a dark pinstriped suit, white shirt with a blue tie and handkerchief. His wife wore a black trouser suit and bespectacled Whittock a blue suit.

Prosecutor Sally Walsh was given an October 9 deadline to serve all the prosecution papers in the case, including twelve video tapes.

Whittock's lawyers also want details of 150 members of the studio audience whom the police did not question.

Due to controversy surrounding his £1 million win, Ingram's performance has never been broadcast, amid claims he was helped by coughing from the studio audience.

The Ingram's have three children, Portia, 11, Rosalind, 9, and Hester, 4. They live in a five bedroomed army- owned home.

Major Ingram serves in the Royal Engineers at Upavon, Wiltshire.

His wife Diana, a lecturer and nursery nurse, was a previous winner on the show, as was her brother, both winning £32,000, and Diana wrote a book giving advice on how to scoop the £1 million.

Whittock took the "hot seat," after Ingram, and went away with £1,000, after getting the £8,000 question wrong.

All three are pleading not guilty.