A man involved in a long-running business dispute with former Olympic show jumper Harvey Smith has been jailed for nine years.

Peter Snowden, 53, of Upper Hird Street, Keighley, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday facing a string of charges.

Snowden was part of a racing syndicate involving Mr Smith and he has been embroiled in a bitter business dispute since 1993.

He had already appeared at Newcastle in November, when he pleaded guilty to obtaining property by deception in 1996 - namely NatWest bank statements belonging to Dorothy Wheeler. She too was a member of the syndicate.

He also admitted attempting to obtain property by deception, involving bank statements belonging to Brian and Dorothy Wheeler, and two charges of incitement to commit burglary at two addresses in Keighley

Snowden denied issuing threats to kill against six people, including Mr Smith and Keith Hellawell, former Chief Constable and Tony Blair's current drugs tsar.

He further denied soliciting to murder six people and a charge of incitement to commit grievous bodily harm.

The case had been adjourned for a pre-sentence report.

But Snowden is now serving a lengthy term in prison after he was jailed for nine years for incitement to commit burglary.

For a similar charge he received nine years to run concurrently.

For the charge of obtaining property by deception, Snowden was jailed for three years. He was sentenced to three years, to run concurrently, for attempting to obtain property by deception.

Charges of threatening to kill, soliciting to murder, and incitement to commit grievous bodily harm were ordered to lie on file.

Snowden has bombarded the Keighley News with letters protesting his innocence.

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