No appeal for TV quiz cheat

Charles Ingram loses his appeal against his fraud conviction.

12:02 20 May 2004

TV quiz cheat Major Charles Ingram has lost an appeal against his swindling convictions.

He was back in court yesterday asking for leave to appeal against the financial penalties levelled against him by ITV's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"

However, lawyers for the former-major's wife Diana successfully negotiated that she would not have to pay any fines for her part in the coughing scam.

Both were originally found guilty at Southwark Crown Court in April last year of winning the 1 million prize through deception.

As such they were given 18-month suspended sentences, fined 15,000 and ordered to pay 10,000 costs.

Their accomplice, college lecturer, Tecwen Whittock, made no appeal yesterday.

Mr Whittock, whose coded coughs from the audience helped Major Ingram pick up the top prize, received a 12-month suspended sentence and was fined 10,000.