The Court of Appeal has reserved judgement on an appeal by a wealthy businessman that he was wrongly convicted of masterminding a huge timeshare fraud.

Bath-based John Palmer, now 52, was found guilty in May 2001, of conspiracy to defraud, after a seven-and-a-half-month Old Bailey trial.

He defended himself and maintained his innocence throughout the trial, telling the court he was a legitimate businessman.

He alleged the police were determined to "get" him after he was acquitted of handling bullion stolen in the �26m Brink's-Mat raid at Heathrow Airport in 1983.

'Officially signed'

After his acquittal, he went to Tenerife and began a timeshare business, but claimed he remained the target of police.

Palmer was jailed for eight years for the fraud in which he was alleged to have swindled 17,000 people, many of them pensioners.

Later, a confiscation order was made, requiring him to hand over �33m within three years - or face another 11 years in jail.

Three months ago, the Court of Appeal rejected his claim that his trial was a nullity because the indictment setting out the charge against him had not been officially signed.

But the case returned to court on Monday on other grounds of appeal.

These included a challenge to the constitution of the trial jury.

His defence also argued the trial process was flawed because the prosecution failed to give valid written notice of its intention to seek a massive confiscation order.

No date was set for the court's judgement.