The plumber behind Depher, the community plumbing and heating company who has been accused of faking stories to raise cash, has apologised and said he is "only human" and will "own up to any mistakes" he has made.
James Anderson said he would step down from running the organisation and that he had put things in place to "rectify mistakes" including hiring a social media manager after the account featured an image of a noose they claimed was at the home of a beneficiary.
Speaking exclusively to GB News, James Anderson told host Michelle Dewberry: "Firstly, I'd like to apologise to anybody who has been hurt by these accusations that have been made against me and against any mistakes I've ever made over the last seven years.
"I'm only human, I'm just doing the best I can."
James Anderson apologised for his 'mistakes' after being accused of faking customer stories
GB News
"I have owned up to any mistakes that have been made. I have put things in place to rectify these mistakes.
"I think in hindsight I’ve done too much too quick on my own instead of getting other people in to help me and support me. Saying that, it's no excuse but today has been very horrendous for me."
When pressed on a post from the company which claimed a customer "died from carbon monoxide poisoning", Anderson responded: "I knew the lady. Where that picture [of a noose] came from that had been blacked out, I don’t know. I explained to the BBC that I'll be looking into that because that is first time I've seen that picture, when the BBC showed me that one.
"I swear that I will try and find out exactly where it’s come from. I’m devastated myself."
Anderson claimed that 'mistakes happen' and he was 'under pressure' from running the company
GB News
Anderson assured that he is "not here to scam anybody" and has "never had that intention". He claimed: "I have made mistakes and I own my mistakes and I am humbled and I will do whatever it takes to rectify the mistakes or make sure that the mistakes never happen again."
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Discussing his future at Depher, he told Michelle: "And if the public, once I have done that, are happy for me to step down and put someone else in my place who can do a better job than me, I will do that.
"This is not about me. It's not about the awards or the accolades, it's about the people. And it needs to stay for the people with or without me."
He added: "I need to repair the damage or I need to find somebody to repair the damage. I need to do something to bring the trust back to Depher within the public after what's happened.
"I will say and this is not me defending the mistakes that I've made, that have happened over the past four years. I have been inundated and harassed and threatened by online individual people and that has taken up 80 per cent of my time."
James Anderson said he is willing to 'step down' from his role following the revelations
GB News
"Reiterating his apology to the customers affected, Anderson stated that running the company has put him "under a lot of pressure" and it was "very hard" to prevent mistakes.
He explained: "The pressure that you're under when you're trying to do your job, run a company like Depher and also defend yourself from many horrendous accusations and name-calling, it can be very, very hard and mistakes can happen. I’m only human and again, I apologise.
"This was built for the public and the public needs it more than ever now with the food, the gas, the electric, the boilers, the plumbing, the heating, the school support. We’ve just purchased a youth club for children in Burnley where there isn't one and we need to continue this, with or without me.
"I have put things in place for a social media manager. Things are gonna change and are going to get better. This isn’t me asking for donations, this is about Depher working, earning its own money and doing what we promised."