ASSETS RECOVERY
AGENCY News Release issued by The Government News Network on 25
October 2007
The Assets
Recovery Agency has reached a settlement of £143,000 over the
estate of the late Mark McCall, who was murdered in Pudsey, West
Yorkshire in November 2003.
The Agency had alleged that Mr McCall had obtained his money from
involvement in a wide range of criminal activity including drug
dealing. In March 2000, Mr McCall was charged with conspiring to
murder Clifton Bryan. In 1995 he was sentenced to 42 months'
imprisonment for grievous bodily harm with intent, two years'
imprisonment for wounding and three years for making a false
statement in order to obtain a false passport.
The settlement of ARAs action against the assets is the result of
the co-operation of the deceased's widow, Tracy McCall, who
agreed to settle the proceedings without delay and without the
need for any further civil action.
Mr McCall, who was 37 at the time of his death, died of multiple
gunshot wounds. He was shot at close range whilst walking along an
alleyway in Pudsey in what police believe was a targeted attack.
The assets recovered from his estate are as follows:
* £62,270 from the proceeds of sale of a property in Rodley, Leeds
* £74,748 from the benefit paid from a life cover policy
* £6,014 from a bank account
The case was referred to the Agency by West Yorkshire Police
after their initial investigations suggested a lack of legitimate
income to fund Mr McCall's lifestyle.
ARA Interim Director, Alan McQuillan, said: "The
Agency's primary concern is making sure crime does not pay.
In this case we have acted against the estate of a violent, well
known local criminal involved in drug dealing.
We have reached a settlement with Mr McCall's widow whose
attitude and forthright co-operation has resulted in the
Agency's early recovery of these assets. Cases that are
settled in this way are often in the interests of the respondent
and their family, as well as in the public interest."
Notes to Editors:
1. The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 created the Assets Recovery
Agency and provided completely new powers to allow ARA to seek
civil recovery of the proceeds of unlawful activity by an action
in the High Court. The Agency can also issue tax assessments where
there are reasonable grounds to suspect that there is taxable
income, gain or profit from criminal conduct.
2. On 11th January 2007, the Home Office laid a Written
Ministerial Statement before Parliament setting out Government
proposals to merge the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) with the
Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), and to extend to
prosecutors the power to launch civil recovery action under the
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. The Written Ministerial Statement can
be viewed at http://www.assetsrecovery.gov.uk/AboutARA/.
Any proposed merger will require primary legislation. In the
meantime ARA will continue to operate as before and use its powers
to the full in proceeding with all cases under active litigation
as well as adopting new cases from referring agencies in the
criminal enforcement community.
Assets Recovery Agency, PO Box 39992
London EC4M 7XQ
http://www.assetsrecovery.gov.uk