SEVEN men have appeared in crown court to deny conspiracy to commit fraud involving the bus concessionary fare scheme running in north Wales.

Eric Wyn Jones, 76, of Bontnewydd, near Caernarfon; Ian Wyn Jones, 52, of Penygroes, near Caernarfon; Keith Jones, 50, of Llanddaniel, Anglesey; Kevin Wyn Jones, 54, of Bontnewydd; Michael Munson, 51, of Llanllechid, Bangor; Rheiunallt Williams, 43, of Deiniolen, near Caernarfon; and Aled Wyn Davies, 41, of Rhosgadfan, near Caernarfon were alleged to have committed the offence with others between June 2012 and September 2014. The accused included directors of Express Motors of Penygroes, which operated services in north west Wales.

The charge alleged the defendants instructed others to increase the number of concessionary passes swiped, excessively swiped concessionary cards, and submitted false payment claim forms to Gwynedd Council.

Eric Wyn Jones, Ian Wyn Jones, Keith Jones and Kevin Wyn Jones also denied conspiring between June 2012 and July 2014 to conceal, disguise, convert, transfer or remove criminal property – money from Express Motors – by failing to account for all cash takings as business income, failing to pay taxes due on cash takings, and by paying cash takings into personal bank accounts without declaring this as income.

A third charge, faced by Ian Wyn Jones alone, alleged that in July 2014 he had counterfeit currency. He also pleaded not guilty to this.

Judge Huw Rees at Caernarfon Crown Court bailed them until a trial, expected to last six weeks, beginning on 3 September.