John Koukoullis, the man behind Herts Box Office, Paperticket, thefootballticketshop and others has today been found guilty of fraud. The feeling is that because of the sheer number by the merchant processors of victims the sentence will be proportional. Some 3.4 million ponds is unaccounted for and the banks have been particularly vocal about the losses.

Ultimately of course the public suffer – because of the higher charges which are passed on to – - The Consumer. So the public get this both ways up. The heartbreak of being deprived of their enjoyment of the event in the first place, then the heartache of getting their money back and just to add insult to injury – Higher charges to buy tickets in the sporting and entertainments sector because of the percieved higher risk by the Merchant Banks.

It is this type of beheviour that erodes the Public confidence in the Markets, it is poisonous to the Industry. We are pleased to see the end of this very sorry saga but it has taken more than two and a half years to get this to Court and the cost to the taxpayer must be staggering!