ASSETS RECOVERY
AGENCY News Release issued by The Government News Network on 13
December 2007
The Assets
Recovery Agency has reached a successful settlement in the High
Court in London for £100,940 concerning the assets of Carlos
Graham Layne from High Wycombe, Bucks.
The case against Carlos Graham Layne, 39, of Magnolia Dene, High
Wycombe, was a referral from Thames Valley Police in February 2004
for investigation and consideration for civil recovery.
The Agency submitted that Mr Layne had acquired substantial
assets, despite having little declared legitimate income and that
his properties, vehicles and businesses were obtained as a result
of unlawful conduct.
On 13 January 2004 Mr Layne was arrested with several associates
for various offences including burglary, handling stolen goods and
conspiracy. The arrests followed a surveillance operation into a
car ringing network involving the theft of vehicles that had
number plates and engine numbers replaced with the details of
other vehicles in order to be shipped abroad or sold through
trading magazines to unsuspecting private buyers.
Although several associates were charged, there was insufficient
evidence to charge Mr Layne with any offence.
Following an initial investigation by the Agency, an Interim
Receiver was appointed in February 2005 and it was established
that although Mr Layne had owned businesses, including a car
rental business, Prestige Cars, it was not possible to identify a
legitimate source of income in keeping with several large sums of
cash that passed through his bank accounts.
Charlie Dickin, ARA Deputy Director Operations said: "I am
pleased with this latest successful settlement. We are always open
to discuss a settlement in any of our cases in line with our
published guidance and I would continue to encourage respondents
to take this positive action as this will often be in both their
and 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. 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 31 October 2007, the Serious Crime Bill received Royal
Assent. The new Act will merge the operational elements of the
Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) with the Serious Organised Crime
Agency (SOCA), and the training and accreditation functions with
the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA). It will also
extend to certain prosecutors the power to launch civil recovery
action under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Until then ARA will
continue to operate as before and use its powers to the full in
proceeding to complete existing cases and adopt new cases for
future action.
Assets Recovery Agency, PO Box 39992
London EC4M 7XQ
http://www.assetsrecovery.gov.uk