Man Claims He Tried To Give 193,000 GBP Back To Bank But they Wouldn’t Take It After Pensioner Makes Sort Code Error

A  mechanic who found £193,000 in his bank account after a pensioner used the wrong sort code has claimed he tried to give the money back.

Peter Teich, 74, from Cambridge, was forced to wage a court battle for the return of his inheritance following the death of his father.

He accidentally gave his solicitor the wrong sort code in April and the funds were transferred to the account of another Barclays bank customer in the Cambridge area, who he was told had refused to return the funds.

But Tim Gray, 42, who received the money, said he had no idea who the money belonged to and told the bank to take it back.

“The main thing is that I didn’t spend the money, I didn’t run off and buy a Ferrari, and I did try to give it back,” he told the Guardian.

Mr Gray said he thought the £193,000 had been left to him by his grandmother, who died three years ago, and used some of the funds to pay off his bills and credit cards.

“I know it sounds like a life-changing amount of money, but it’s not,” he said.

“I’m in debt to more than double that amount. I thought it was my money, a couple of friends said it must be my money, and I only spent a bit of it.”

He said he called Barclays four days later, after receiving a text from the bank, and was told the money was not his.

“I said take all the remaining money, but leave me with the money I’ve spent. But they said they wouldn’t take it. I said take it back, but he said no, and that his hands were tied.”

Mr Gray said he put £150,000 into premium bonds, but had to cash them in and borrow on his credit cards to pay Mr Teich the £193,000 back after receiving a court order.