Man charged with car plot

Police confirmed that a 42-year-old man had been charged with trying to obtain £4.5m by deception, following the theft of three Ferraris and a Maserati from the estate of Lord Brocket, the vintage car collector, almost four years ago.

William Pound, managing director of Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire, said Lord Brocket, 42, was among four people questioned in connection with the offence, but would not say whether the peer was charged. The alleged fraudster will appear before St Albans magistrates today.