States' reports failed to uncover film producer's theft conviction

Friday 31 January 2014

Background reports by a States department, and a Scrutiny panel, into plans to film a Hollywood movie in Jersey failed to uncover that the man behind the scheme had convictions for theft - and had been disqualified from being a company director.

Questions are now being asked of the Economic Development department and the Public Accounts Committee, who investigated the £200,000 grant of taxpayers’ money given to Keith Cavele to produce “The Knights of Impossingworth”, but who failed to uncover his 1993 conviction for theft from prospective film investors.

Economic Development Minister Alan Maclean has given repeated assurances that the film will go ahead, and some casting calls have already taken place. He was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Bloggers have now revealed that Cavele was convicted in Southwalk Crown Court for stealing thousands of pounds from investors who thought they were backing top-flight films, and the story has been picked up by the wider media.

Court officials say that he was ordered to complete 120 hours of community service, that he was banned from being a company director for two years, and that he was ordered to pay compensation to the tune of £3,662 and £2,288 as well as prosecution costs of £2,000. But because the conviction is technically “spent” they cannot release the indictment or any other court records.

The Public Accounts Committee wrote a 51-page report on the grant which criticised the checks that the Economic Development department had carried out, but which failed to reveal the criminal conviction. The department responded with a 15-page report of its own which defended its checks, saying that the proper “due diligence” checks had been carried out.