Airline fraudster destroyed my life (From The Northern Echo)

Airline fraudster destroyed my life

8:00am Tuesday 30th August 2011 in News By Joe Willis, Regional chief reporter

A MUSICIAN who has worked with stars including Tom Jones and Peter Gabriel has told how North-East airline fraudster Victor Bassey destroyed his life.

Producer and songwriter Clinton Outten has revealed that the Nigerian caused havoc after moving into his London home before relocating to the region to launch Excelsis Airways.

Bassey sold Mr Outten’s car without his knowledge, ran up large utility bills, forged a bank letter and took out a credit card in his then wife’s name, before disappearing with five years of his work.

He also failed to pay the songwriter’s mortgage when he was out of the country, ultimately resulting in him losing his house.

Bassey, 50, was jailed for two years in December last year for fraud after launching a bogus company which claimed it would run executive flights between Durham Tees Valley Airport and London.

The company collapsed leaving debts of £100,000 and a string of broken promises.

Mr Outten last night told how the fraudster moved into his home in 2003 after being invited by the Nigerian’s younger brother, Emmanuel Jones, who was lodging with the producer.

Mr Outten said: “His brother explained that Victor has just lost his house and he had nowhere to go, so I said it’s okay for him to stay a while until he got himself straight.

“I stretched out my hand to someone in need of help and I wasn’t expecting what he did.”

The following year, Mr Outten visited the Bahamas when his family in the country was in danger from an impending hurricane.

Six months later, the 43-yearold arrived back in the UK just in time to attend a court hearing brought by his mortgage lender, which said he owed £10,000.

Bassey had assured the musician that all bills were being paid but this was a lie.

When Mr Outten called in the police, Bassey packed his belongings and left.

It was then that the producer realised his computer hard drive – containing numerous songs he had written and produced – was missing.

Following Bassey’s disappearance, Mr Outten was forced to remortage his home.

However, because of the debt, his repayments were far higher.

He kept up with the mortgage until this year when he finally lost the house and its contents.

When Bassey moved in, Mr Outten was signed with Sony and had just written a song for the soundtrack of Hollywood film After the Sunset, starring Pierce Brosnan.

The songwriter, known in the industry as Roachie, has worked with stars including Peter Gabriel, formerly of Genesis, Welsh singer Tom Jones, X-Factor contestant Chico and former Blue star Simon Webbe.

“It was a wonderful peaceful time and then it changed because of Victor,” he said.

“He’s obviously a bright guy but for some reason he has this defect which means he always has to cook someone.”

Bassey used Mr Outten’s address to launch a mobile telephone business, Siron Interactive Media Ltd.

It appears that after leaving London in a hurry, Bassey moved to Consett, in County Durham, where Siron continued to operate until he again disappeared owing thousands of pounds to staff and suppliers.

Two years later, he resurfaced in Middlesbrough to launch Excelsis.