A charter company is owed £7,000 by a businessman who hired aircraft while serving a seven-year jail sentence for fraud.

Oxaero, based at Kidlington's Oxford Airport, hired a jet for two £2,000 business trips and a helicopter for two other £1,500 flights to Richard Stamford in January.

Stamford is an inmate at Coldingley Prison in Surrey, where he is completing his sentence.

But he is allowed out of prison every day provided he is back in his cell in time for his 4pm curfew. It is alleged that he used his time outside jail to approach embassies, hospitals and private medical companies about his plans for a £1m air-ambulance service to transport sick people and donor organs for transplant operations. Police are thought to be investigating.

Alex Durand, managing director of Oxaero, said Stamford approached him in January and told him he was working for a registered company, Air Charter Network International. Mr Durand said: "He was very credible.

"He still owes us about £7,000 and although it is possible that he might pay up, I am not totally confident, particularly when I heard about his background."

Story date: Tuesday 04 May

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