'Internet sperm' founder jailed

The founder of a website offering sperm to lesbians wanting children has been jailed for 16 months for fraud at Wood Green Crown Court in north London.

John Gonzalez, from Studley Green, near High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, launched mannotincluded.com in June 2002.

It sent sperm to women registering with the site, but went bust two-and-a-half years later owing more than £220,000.

Gonzalez, 45, pleaded guilty to five charges in February, including two of fraudulent trading.

An investigation found he lied to officials, forged documents and falsified his debts.

Invented debt

Passing sentence, Judge Juliet May QC said: "Being a company director is a serious responsibility. People who abuse this position must expect to be punished."

Gonzalez was also banned from acting as a company director for five years.

The government is determined to crack down on cheats who profit by deception BERR minister Pat McFadden

One company, a courier firm called City Sprint (UK) Ltd was owed £21,000 when the company was wound up.

Gonzalez falsely told the liquidator that mannotincluded.com's website and trademark were owned by a company in Cyprus. He forged documents in an attempt to prove it.

He also fraudulently diverted £185,000 from the company accounts for personal use and invented a £125,000 debt to try and make the business appear more insolvent than it was.

The Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) had carried out the investigation.

BERR minister Pat McFadden said: "The government is determined to crack down on cheats who profit by deception.

"When someone lies about their assets they are effectively stealing from honest creditors who are owed money and who can suffer as a result."