MONE'S MAN ON TRIAL FOR FRAUD

Accused in Spain over 'illicit' £5m

-  NICK SOMMERLAD

TORY peer Baroness Michelle Mone stayed away on the first day of her wealthy husband Doug Barrowman's trial over allegations of a £5million fraud.

Barrowman, 58, was flanked by four business associates as he arrived at a Spanish court, and today will give evidence in a attempt to avoid a jail term of up to five and a half years.

Baroness Mone, 52, and Barrowman are separately under investigation for fraud by the UK National Crime Agency for their part in a £200m PPE deal first exposed by the Mirror.

Barrowman arrived at court in Santander hoping for an early acquittal. His lawyer argued the statute of limitations meant it was too late to proceed against him. But the three judges ruled the case should go ahead.