A South West horsebox distributor, Benjamin Ambrose of Swindon, has been exposed as a “prolific liar” after defrauding multiple customers of substantial sums. Ambrose admitted to theft and fraud, swindling victims out of hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Wiltshire Police revealed that Ambrose, 44, operated as an official distributor for the South West region but left a trail of financially and emotionally devastated clients. Detective Constable Melissa Pope of the fraud team explained, “Ambrose’s repeated deception left his victims tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket. He manipulated his customers by cultivating personal relationships, only to take their money without delivering the promised horseboxes.”
DC Pope emphasized the broader impact: “While the financial losses are significant, the emotional toll on the victims is equally severe. Many feel vulnerable and constantly question how they were deceived.”
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On December 15, Ambrose, residing on Malory Close in Tadpole Garden Village, was formally charged with multiple offences. He appeared at Swindon Crown Court on April 2, pleading guilty to three counts of theft and five counts of fraud. He has been granted bail pending sentencing scheduled for September 15.
Ambrose formerly traded under Wiltshire Horsebox Hire and was an authorized South West distributor for Bloomfields Horseboxes, headquartered in Worksop, Nottinghamshire. In 2018, he established a separate company, Bloomfields Horseboxes (South) Ltd, based in Wiltshire and continued trading under that name. This company entered voluntary liquidation in September 2024 just before police began receiving fraud complaints.
Investigations uncovered that Ambrose frequently accepted tens of thousands of pounds from customers for bespoke horseboxes that were never delivered. He consistently lied about delays despite knowing the projects were not advancing. Additionally, Ambrose failed to pay several victims the agreed amounts after selling their horseboxes or chassis. In one case, a victim was falsely told the purchased horsebox was encumbered by an existing finance agreement.
DC Pope reflected on the nature of such scams: “Fraud like this often leaves victims feeling helpless and questioning their actions, but ultimately, the blame lies with Ambrose’s calculated dishonesty.”
With Ambrose’s guilty pleas secured, the case now moves forward to sentencing later this year.