The struggling boss of a UK mineral water company sold tap water to a major supermarket chain.
David Petrie, of Perth, was caught with a long hosepipe attached to his taps at Longtown Bottled Water L…
The struggling boss of a UK mineral water company sold tap water to a major supermarket chain. David Petrie, of Perth, was caught with a long hosepipe attached to his taps at Longtown Bottled Water Ltd. He filled up his factory“s spring water vat, fooling the likes of P&O, House of Fraser and Morrisons supermarkets. He was only caught out because he siphoned off money to pay for a 17,000 Mercedes, a 24,000 Porsche 968, a 60,000 Porsche 911 Cabriolet and a top racehorse. His two spring water bottling companies, based in Longtown and Maryport, Cumbria, were funded by loans from banks, local businessmen, and the Department of Trade and Industry. But the 39-year-old former double glazing salesman lacked one vital ingredient – a source of water. All three attempts to extract useable spring water from the Longtown factory site – Longtown Bottlers Ltd – failed, the last drilling exercise drawing water that was unfit for human consumption. He was jailed for six months for acting as a company director while being bankrupt and fraudulent trading.