A SPECIALIST team seized three vehicles from a man who failed to pay a penny towards a confiscation order of more than £62,000 – despite being jailed as a result.
The debt recovery and enforcement agency executed a distress warrant at the home of 58-year-old accountant Michael Dean, in St Michael's Road, Grimsby, and recovered the three vehicles for the non-payment of the order, which had been made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
His victim, John Howden, had to part with his family home of 40 years after he was conned out of £5,000 by unqualified Dean, who pretended he had paid their tax bill but spent it instead. Mr Howden, a self-employed upholsterer, trusted Dean to pay the Inland Revenue bill on his behalf.
But it was not until the tax office repeatedly asked for the money that he realised he had been tricked, so he went to the police.
Officers carried out a wider investigation and a court hearing found that Dean, of Grimsby, had benefited from crime to the tune of £158,646.
Dean had been given a one-year suspended prison sentence at Grimsby Crown Court in 2009 after being convicted by a jury of concealing or converting criminal property in January 2007.
In February 2011, at Grimsby Crown Court, a confiscation order was made against him for £62,870.45 with a compensation order for £12,500 to be paid as a priority from it to the victims.
His assets included the equity in his house, two cars and money in bank accounts.
But Dean failed to pay a penny and the Howdens still received nothing.
Yet, police said, after the order was made, Dean purchased two further vehicles including a van valued at £3,000. He then sold one of the vehicles. Humberside Police Asset Recovery Investigation Unit investigated and as a result the order was increased to take into account the van. Dean still did not make any attempts to sell his assets so in February 2012 the magistrates at Sheffield Magistrates' Court sentenced him to 20 months for his failings.
Even after serving his sentence, he still owed the money and interest was accruing at £14.98 per day.
The magistrates have the power to issue distress warrants and did so, resulting in the recovery operation.
Dean was unable to pay his debt immediately so two cars and a van were towed away.
If he fails to pay within six days the cars will be sent to auction and the proceeds will be repaid to the victim in compensation.
The house is still to be dealt with.
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