Snak oil is alive & well it seems.

Yup.

Quoting from the Telegraph article of 18th May 2003:
....
According to Prof Smith, if there is a flaw in the company's claims,
it lies in the measurement of the amount of electrical energy pumped
into the cell. It is possible that, as sparks pass between the
electrodes, there is an energy surge which would not be picked up by
the instruments measuring the electrical input.

Prof Smith said: "This needs to be very carefully checked, as there
could be far more energy going in than the makers think."
....
"According to the Gardner Watts team, it will take about six months to
carry out tests putting the reality of the effect beyond all doubt."

-------------------

So after 4.5 years they still haven't got independent conclusive proof
energy out exceeds energy in.

More likely they keep chewing through "partners" as each gets
suspicious of being required to test only in one prescribed manner -
and new and more gullible partners are sought out.

And yes, those can be found in universities - just encourage an expert
to work outside their exact field of expertise - and they can be
hoodwinked too.