A horsebox distributor from the South West has been branded a “prolific liar” after defrauding customers out of substantial sums.
Benjamin Ambrose, 44, of Swindon, admitted to stealing and defrauding multiple victims of hundreds of thousands of pounds collectively.
Wiltshire Police revealed that Ambrose, once a recognised distributor for the South West, left a trail of financially and emotionally devastated customers behind.
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Detective Constable Melissa Pope of the fraud team said, “Ambrose deliberately manipulated and deceived his victims, often cultivating friendships to gain their trust before convincing them to part with large sums of money. He then failed to deliver the promised horseboxes, leaving victims tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket.
“The impact of his crimes extends beyond the financial loss—many victims have suffered significant emotional distress as a result of his deceit.”
Ambrose was charged on December 15 last year and appeared at Swindon Crown Court on April 2, where he pleaded guilty to three counts of theft and five counts of fraud. He has been bailed pending sentencing set for September 15.
Previously trading as Wiltshire Horsebox Hire and serving as an official distributor for Bloomfields Horseboxes based in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, Ambrose formed a separate company in 2018 called Bloomfields Horseboxes (South) Ltd in Wiltshire. This company was voluntarily liquidated in September 2024, shortly before the police began receiving complaints.
Investigations uncovered that Ambrose repeatedly accepted payments, often tens of thousands of pounds, for bespoke horseboxes which were never delivered. Despite promising progress, he knowingly stalled the builds and misled customers about delays.
In some cases, he failed to pay victims the agreed sums after selling their horseboxes or chassis. On another occasion, a victim was wrongly informed that their horsebox was subject to an outstanding finance agreement to withhold payment.
DC Pope commented, “This kind of fraud leaves victims feeling vulnerable and questioning their judgment. The guilt often lies solely with the offender’s blatant lies and manipulation.
“I am relieved Ambrose has admitted his offences. We now look forward to his sentencing in September.”