Husband of Norfolk ticket touting boss denies involvement

Mark Woods, 59, is accused of being involved in his wife Maria Chenery-Woods’ multi-million pound ticket operation based in Norfolk.

Tickets to see Ed Sheeran at Wembley Stadium were among those resold by the touting operation (Image: PA)

TQ Tickets Ltd, operated by two couples living in Dickleburgh and Pulham Market, used multiple identities, some fake, to buy up large amounts of tickets for events ranging from Ed Sheeran concerts to sports events to resell at inflated prices on secondary platforms.

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Leeds Crown Court heard Chenery-Woods, who referred to herself as the Ticket Queen, was the driving force behind the operation which sold more than £6.5m of tickets in two and a half years.

She and Paul Douglas, who referred to himself as Ticket Boy, have pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading.

Their respective spouses – Mark Woods and Lynda Chenery, 51, who is Chenery-Woods’ sister – have denied three counts of fraudulent trading.

Fake identities were used to buying up large numbers of tickets to sell on at vastly inflated prices (Image: Getty Images)

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Giving evidence on Monday, Woods said they had married in 1998 after meeting when she was working for the travel company he used in order to commute from East Anglia to London.

He told the court she later set up her own firm taking people around the country on coaches for events.

“I knew Maria was running a ticket and travel company, I knew she was involved in that market,” he said.

“I was perfectly satisfied that there was nothing untoward about what she was doing.”

TQ Tickets Ltd was registered at Diss Business Park (Image: Google)

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Woods said he became a director when his wife had filed for bankruptcy and couldn’t take a directorship herself, but that he had no personal involvement in its administration.

Asked if he received any remuneration, he replied: “Not a penny, nothing.”

He told jurors TQ Tickets Ltd was an “obsession” for his wife, telling jurors: “She became completely obsessed. It took priority over me, the family, and it caused conflict.”

The trial continues.