ASSETS RECOVERY
AGENCY News Release (ARA 16/07) issued by The Government News
Network on 21 March 2007
Assets Recovery
Agency (ARA) Financial Investigators, working in partnership with
Chester Police, have secured a Confiscation Order worth £53,056.57
against Andrew Alexander of Chester who was convicted of making,
possessing, and distributing indecent images of children.
The case was referred to the Agency by Chester Police. Mr.
Alexander pleaded guilty at Chester Crown court on 1st February
2006 to offences involving the making and possession of indecent
images of children whilst operating a photographic studio in
Ellesmere Port. He later distributed the images for payment via
the internet. He was subsequently sentenced to 3 1/2 years' imprisonment.
Following a financial investigation, on 12th March 2007 at
Chester Crown Court HHJ Dutton certified a criminal benefit in the
sum of £53,056.57 and made a Confiscation Order in that amount.
Payment was ordered within six months, with a sentence of two
years' imprisonment in default. The court also ordered him to
pay costs of £4,000.
Jane Earl, Director of the Assets Recovery Agency, said:
"This case demonstrates that the Proceeds of Crime Act can be
used against all types of criminality, and means that those
involved in unlawful activity should understand that there is no
hiding place for their ill-gotten gains."
Notes for 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. The Agency is playing its part in the multi-agency approach to
deliver the Government's Asset Recovery Strategy. Under the
cross government initiative 'Payback', the tracing of
and recovery of assets is seen as an important element in the
delivery of justice, and sends out a strong deterrent message. The
overall aims of the strategy are to make greater use of the
investigations of criminal assets in the fight against crime;
recover money that has been made from crime or which is intended
for use in crime; prevent criminals and their associates from
laundering the proceeds of criminal conduct, and detect and
penalise such laundering where it occurs; to use the proceeds
recovered for the benefit of the community.
3. 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
T +44 (020) 7029 5700
F +44 (020) 7029 5706
E
enquiries@ara.gsi.gov.uk http://www.assetsrecovery.gov.uk