Disgraced ex-Co-op Bank chair Paul Flowers jailed for fraud

A former Co-operative bank director and local councillor was jailed today after previously admitting defrauding a vulnerable friend.

The court was told that Paul Flowers, 74, abused his power, withdrawing cash and paying for goods and services from a friend’s bank account, before and after she died.

Once dubbed the crystal Methodist because of his drug use, he was jailed for three years at Manchester Crown Court on 27 February 2025.

In 2018 the Financial Conduct Authority banned flowers from the sector after it found that while he was Co-op Bank chair he used his work mobile telephone to make a number of inappropriate telephone calls to a premium rate chat line in breach of Co-op Group and Co-op Bank policies; and used his work email account to send and receive sexually explicit and otherwise inappropriate messages, and to discuss illegal drugs, in breach of Co-op Group and Co-op Bank policies despite having been previously warned about his earlier misconduct.

Jayne Sharp, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West said: “Paul Flowers appeared to be a pillar of the community as a former Methodist minister, local councillor and bank director.

“However, the trust and confidence Ms Jarvis had in Flowers when she named him as executor of her will and gave him power of attorney was sorely misplaced.

“He carried out a systematic fraud over a period of six years, seemingly motivated by his darker side; in particular, his addiction to class A drugs.

“Flowers stole a significant sum of money from his friend, with no thought for her, her family or the charities she had chosen to support after her death.

“He will now face the consequences of his actions.”

Flowers was prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service following an investigation by Greater Manchester Police.

Detective Constable Kate Riley, a fraud investigations officer at GMP, said: “Flowers completely abused his position as a will executor and as a friend, fraudulently taking tens of thousands of pounds that he simply was not entitled to.

“The money should have been going to good causes, but instead went to satisfying Flowers indulgent lifestyle of holidays, cruises, and expensive food and wine. He and his victim had worked together on charitable projects, so he was fully aware of the importance of charitable gifts in her will.

“This self-serving behaviour has now rightly been punished, and Flowers has time behind bars to think about his deceitful actions.”

In 1995 Margaret Jarvis arranged for Flowers to have power of attorney over her finances if she became unable to manage her own affairs and he was also named as executor in her will.

Ms Jarvis’ health had deteriorated and in November 2012, the power of attorney took effect and Flowers began to manage her financial affairs.

Flowers used Ms Jarvis’ bank accounts for legitimate purposes such as paying for her care but also started using her accounts as though they were his own. He paid for various things with her money including theatre trips, wine and even a cruise.

Ms Jarvis died on 28 October 2016 aged 82 and Flowers continued taking money from her estate following her death.

Flower’s fraudulent transactions came to light when the Co-operative bank was requested to repay an overpayment of Ms Jarvis’ pension as Flowers had failed to inform them of her death.

During the investigation that followed it came to light there were transactions that did not appear to be for the benefit of Ms Jarvis. The account was blocked, and a police investigation began.

Flowers was arrested and made no comment in his police interview.

When faced with the strength of the prosecution case, Flowers pleaded guilty to 18 counts of fraud on 25 July 2024 at Manchester Crown Court.