Asil Nadir the former Polly Peck Tycoon has been granted Legal aid to fight the multi million pound theft charges he spent 17 years running from, a decision likely to leave British taxpayers with a substantial bill. The Businessman whose trial is to begin in January is expected to make a substantial contribution to his court costs but was granted assistance after an assessment of his finances. Asil Nadir faces 13 counts of false accounting . Nadir was arrested shortly after the collapse of Polly Peck but fled Britain for Occupied Northern Cyprus in 1993 after being charged with 66 counts of theft totalling £150 million, later reduced to £34 million. He was arrested after returning to Britain in august last year.

Nadir 69 is free on conditional bail pending a hearing at the Old Bailey that is expected to last up to four months . He is scheduled to attend a pre trial hearing in November.