A fraud squad detective has thanked members of the panel and plywood industry for helping bring former plywood trader John Coleman and his associates to justice.

And detective constable John Knowles of West Yorkshire police said he hoped the result of the investigation, which has sent two men to jail, may “dissuade individuals from adopting the practices employed by the men when they were trading as Plywood Trading International Ltd, Plywood Trading Ltd and Crown Panels Ltd”.

John Coleman, who formerly ran the Jaycee Forest Products business, Joseph Koller, Anthony Phillips and Peter Papanikitas stood trial at Leeds Crown Court charged with a number of offences relating to the dishonest trading activities of the three companies.

John Coleman was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on three counts to run concurrently. A confiscation order in the sum of £326,412.27 together with £16,000 costs was made, with both amounts to be paid within 18 months. Failure to do so will result in him facing a further five years in prison to run consecutively with the original sentence. Coleman was also disqualified from holding the office of director for 12 years.

&#8220I would like to thank everyone [involved] for their assistance and co-operation during the course of this extremely long investigation ”

Detective constable John Knowles, West Yorkshire Police

Koller and Phillips were each sentenced to 240 hours’ community service, fined £1,500 and disqualified from holding a company directorship for seven years. Papanikitas was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and a Cconfiscation order in the sum of £213,793 together with £20,000 costs was made.

Detective constable Knowles has personally written to all those involved in the investigations and said: “I would like to thank each and every one of you for your assistance and co-operation during the course of this extremely long investigation, even more so if you were one of the witnesses that were required to attend at the court in Leeds and give evidence.”