A 42-YEAR-OLD Portuguese man is alleged to have been involved in a £1.2million fraud centred around the transfer of assets from a British law firm to Portugal.

Joao De Sousa, of St Michael’s Road, Cirencester, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court on Monday for an application to vary a restraint order, but the hearing was adjourned for an interpreter to attend.

The court heard that the requirements of the restraint order had not been fully complied with and His Honour Judge Euan Ambrose warned De Sousa that he must comply or he could be held in contempt of court and faced possible jail.

De Sousa’s assets included a property in Portugal and Judge Ambrose ordered that the address be confirmed before the next hearing.

Police investigator Alan Hopkinson said, after the hearing, that the fraud case had not come to court yet but involved £1.2m.

The application to vary the restraint order was adjourned until December 14.