Asset Recovery: UK gets order for GBP655k

* Peter Robinson of Poole, Dorset, was ordered to repay GBP470,000. Of this, he is required to pay GBP225,000 immediately, which is currently in a restrained account. The balance must be paid within six months. Failure to comply will result in a three and a half year prison sentence.

* David Munroe of South Shields, Tyne & Wear, was ordered to repay GBP137,678 within 14 days or return to prison for three years. This money is already restrained in a bank account.

* Carol Slesser of South Shields, Tyne & Wear, was ordered to repay GBP32,000. She has seven days to pay GBP12,600, which is in a restrained bank account, and six months to pay the balance or serve a 12 month sentence.

* Beatrice Ann Pearce of South Shields, Tyne & Wear, was ordered to repay GBP15,000 within six months or serve a 12 month prison sentence.

A fifth person, Joseph Munroe, received a 'nil' confiscation order, as the Judge decided that he had not benefited from the proceeds of crime.

They were members of a criminal gang of 12 sentenced in 2008 for offences of money laundering, involving GBP332,000, and evasion of GBP236,000 in excise duty. One gang member was also sentenced for Housing Benefit fraud.

The gang leader, Peter Robinson, had changed his name by deed poll and used three aliases, He was arrested at his Poole home in September 2006, along with accomplice Philip Fendley, when 1.5 tonnes of tobacco were found in two vans.

A further stash of tobacco and 377,000 cigarettes were found in storage units in Poole. The duty evaded on these items was estimated at GBP236,000. Several bundles of cash (the proceeds of crime), amounting to some GBP126,000, were seized from Robinson's house. The cash was wrapped in cling film and hidden in the loft, bedside cabinets and under his bed in a cool bag. On 24 January 2008, this cash was ordered to be forfeited, by magistrates at Bristol, under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The money laundering operation, involved bank and building society accounts in Dorset, North East England and Guernsey. Some GBP332,000 was moved around between gang members. During the original HM Revenue & Customs operation details of housing benefit fraud and the buying and selling of taxi licences issued by South Tyneside Borough Council also came to light.

Due Diligence Information:

* Peter Robinson, DOB 05.11.64, of Good Road, Poole, Dorset, BH12 3PJ

* David Munroe, DOB 31.12.60, of Bunyan Avenue, South Shields, NE34 9HY (Peter Robinson's brother)

* Carol Slesser, DOB 23.12.60, of Bunyan Avenue, South Shields, NE34 9HY (David Munroe's wife)

* Beatrice Ann Pearce, DOB 13.02.40, of Bamburgh Avenue, South Shields, NE33 3HY

* Joseph Michael Munroe, DOB 12.10.87, of Good Road, Poole, Dorset, BH12 3PJ (Peter Robinson's son) received a 'nil' confiscation order)

Confiscation proceedings against Robinson were conducted under the Criminal Justice Act 1988. Proceedings against the other four were conducted under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Confiscation proceedings for the seven other gang members were held at Bournemouth Crown Court on 3 October 2008.

Philip Fendley was ordered to repay GBP1,000;
John Moore (Robinson's brother) GBP8,863;
Kevin Jackson GBP2,765 and
Jacqueline Ridley (Robinson's girlfriend) GBP10,000.

Raymond Hayes, Grant Pearce and Melanie Wilson satisfied the court they had no realisable assets so nominal orders were made against them. 5. All 12 gang members were sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on either 14 March 2008 or 4 April 2008.

The sentencing details of 14 March 2008 for Customs offences were: * Peter Robinson, from Poole - jailed for 3 years
* Philip Fendley, from Dorchester - Jailed for 18 months
* John Moore, from Jarrow - Jailed for 16 months
* Jacqueline Ridley, from Poole and
Joseph Michael Munroe, from Poole - both jailed for nine
months, suspended for one year plus 120 hours community service.

The sentencing detail of 14 March 2008 for Housing Benefit fraud was: * Peter Robinson, from Poole - Jailed for ten months

The sentencing details of 4 April 2008 for Customs offences were:
* David Munroe, from Poole - Jailed for 4 months
* Carol Slesser, from South Shields - Jailed for four months, suspended for 12 months.
* Melanie Wilson, from South Shields; Kevin Paul Jackson, from South Shields; Raymond Barry Hayes, from Boldon Colliery; Grant William Pearce from South Shields and Beatrice Ann Pearce also from South Shields - All jailed for 5 months suspended for 12 months.