BEESLEY: PROPERTY DEVELOPER JAILED FOR £278,000 SCAM ON FRIENDS

A property developer who conned two friends out of £278,000 to maintain a millionaire lifestyle of luxury holidays and extravagant parties was jailed for two years and nine months today (FRI). Smooth-talking Simon Beesley, 42, convinced Suzanne Lauder and Sam Lipton to hand over their savings after ‘grooming’ them with lavish dinners and invites to the Wimbledon Tennis Champion Championships. Beesley, who boasted of access to defence secretary Philip Hammond, promised them 20 per cent returns on their investment in…