A FINANCIAL adviser from Hardwicke has denied fraudulently obtaining insurance for his late wife by failing to reveal her true medical condition.

Keith Smith, of Shornbrook Close, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court today.

The 54-year-old pleaded not guilty to a charge of fraud between December 8 and 28, 2013.

He is accused of failing to tell Aviva Insurance agent Adrian Hooper information that he was under a legal duty to disclose about the health and medical details of Sarah Caroline Smith.

Mr Smith was bailed to await trial at the court on September 16.

At an earlier hearing, Judge Jamie Tabor QC had questioned whether it was right for the Crown Prosecution Service to proceed with the case.

He said at that time: “Is this court the right place for this case? Mrs Smith is dead. Do you think Mr Smith has not suffered enough?

“There are other ways of disposing of this. What is a judge going to do to him? His wife has died – he has no understanding of the criminal process. It seems to me that perhaps a jury trial is not the most obvious way of dealing with this case."

On Friday prosecutor Janine Wood said the judge's comments had been considered by a senior official who had decided the case should go ahead.

Mr Smith’s defence is that he did not know his late wife’s medical condition at the time of the alleged offence.