Richard Wells, 39, now living in Marbella in Spain and Neil Debenham, 43, from Norwich have pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud at Southwark Crown Court. Wells is the former director of SHP Capital, the holding company that owned Safe Hands plans, based in Wakefield West Yorkshire, where Debenham was a senior executive.

In January 2026 they were both charged with fraud after the collapse of Safe Hands plans Limited, a prepaid funeral plan provider that went into administration in 2022, leaving 46,000 people who bought plans owed thousands of pounds.

The two former directors, Wells and Debenham, both appeared at Southwark Crown Court for the plea and trial preparation hearing.