Lost Beatles tapes 'were put on sale at £250,000'

Apple, the Beatles recording company, is expected to re-master long-lost tapes of the Get Back sessions a court heard yesterday.

They include the band's cover version of Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind, as well as hours of the musicians chatting about everything from music to bootlegging.

Neil Aspinall, who runs Apple, said: "These tapes have a huge commercial value. They've got over 80 hours or more of sound footage on them of the Beatles recording and chatting about everything."

He spoke at the trial at Southwark Crown Court, East London, of Nigel Oliver, 55, of Slough, who allegedly tried to sell the 504 tapes for £250,000.

The tapes went missing at the end of the recordings in 1969. It is claimed that Oliver was caught during an undercover anti-piracy sting three years ago, set up by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.

He was arrested after organising the sale from two unknown men in Amsterdam to two undercover officers named "Sammy" and "Billy".

The court heard Oliver was picked up by police in a forest near Windsor Park, Slough, on Jan 10, 2003, while he was waiting for his payment. His cut was thought to be around £150,000.

The "lost" tapes were found by City of London police officers and investigators from the Dutch fiscal police during a search of a house in Lisse, Holland.

Oliver, who was not at court, has been found unfit to plead. He is charged with two counts of handling stolen goods.

Mr Aspinall said that the music on the tapes was good but what made them "really special" were "the conversations between the Beatles themselves."

The case was adjourned.

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