A CROWN Court trial has heard how three managers defrauded the Powys NHS of more than £700,000 using the names of U2 band members.

The trio are accused of paying bogus invoices for building work, including at Brecon and Bronllys hospitals, by Paul Hewson - the real name of singer Bono - and to David Evans, guitarist The Edge from the Irish rock band.

Mark Evill, Michael Cope and Robert Howells allegedly used the U2 names as cover to abuse their positions as managers with Powys Teaching Health Board.

A jury at Merthyr Crown Court heard rock fan Evill used the names of Bono and The Edge because "they are a band he listens to."

Prosecutor Christopher Rees said: "He created more than one fictitious character, Paul Hewson and David Evans.

"They are the real names of Bono and the Edge, the singer and guitarist from U2, a band he listens to.

"He used these names to further his fraud. Its a mark of the blatant and provocative dishonesty."

Evill, who is 47 and of Shirenewton, Chepstow, denies fraud as well as perverting the course of justice and three counts of transferring criminal property.

Howells, 65, of Chepstow, and Cope, 43, from Merthyr Tydfil, deny fraud and all three face a four week trial.

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