A TRIO of alleged tax fraudsters, one from Quedgeley, will enter their pleas at the end of March to charges involving more than a quarter of a million pounds, Gloucester Crown Court was told on Wednesday.

A plea and case management hearing was set down for March 31 when 57-year-old Bruce Pritchett of The Reddings, Cheltenham, Lee Holberton, 43, of Grayston Close, Tewkesbury and 51-year-old Roger Bell of Teal Close, Quedgeley, will enter their pleas to a total of 36 charges, involving £353,728. 44p.

Pritchett faces 26 charges of fraud, two charges of obtaining a money transfer by deception and one of theft.

Holberton is accused of seven charges of fraud, one charge of obtaining money by deception and one of false accounting.

Bell is accused of making a false representation with Pritchett to HMRC to the value of £33,000.

Holberton's charges involve £90,686.48p and Pritchett's £230,041.96p.

All three were granted unconditional bail.