THE co-owner of a Gwynedd bus firm has this afternoon denied deliberately inflating claims for payments involving the concessionary fare scheme.

Eric Wyn Jones, 77, of Bontnewydd, Caernarfon, told the town’s crown court in evidence how Express Motors, which operated in North West Wales, had been founded in 1909 and he acquired the firm in 1977.

Questioned by his barrister John Philpotts he told a jury :”We had no need to fiddle.”

Jones said he had lost a wallet containing his own concessionary fare card.

He insisted he never used his card fraudulently to perform some unexplained swipes.

Mr Philpotts asked him :”Do you know anything about the fraudulent use of your card?” He replied :”No.”

He never fraudulently swiped concessionary cards or instructed employees to do so, Jones declared. It’s claimed there were tens of thousands of fraudulent swipes, and more than half a million pounds was put through bank accounts without paying tax.

Three sons also deny wrongdoing.

The trial continues.