A specialist team has seized three vehicles from an unqualified accountant who failed to pay anything towards a £62,000 confiscation order - despite him being jailed as a result.
The debt recovery and enforcement agency executed the distress warrant at 58-year-old accountant Michael Dean's Grimsby home, and recovered the three vehicles for the non-payment of the order, made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
His victim, John Howden, had to part with the family home he had lived in 40 years after he was conned out of £5,000 by Dean, who said he had paid a tax bill but spent it instead. Mr Howden, a self-employed upholsterer, trusted Dean to pay HMRC bill on his behalf.
Yet it was only when HMRC repeatedly asked for the money that he realised he had been duped and duly went to the police, thisisGrimsby reports.
Officers carried out a wider probe and a court hearing found that Dean had amassed £158,646 from his crimes.
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 to the victims.
His assets included the equity in his house, two cars and money in bank accounts.
But Dean failed to pay a single penny and the Howdens received nothing.
Yet, police said, after the order was made, Dean purchased two further vehicles including a £3,000 van. 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 made no attempt to sell his assets, so in February 2012, Sheffield Magistrates' Court sentenced him to 20 months for his failings.
After serving his sentence, Dean still owed the money and interest was accruing at £14.98 per day.
The magistrates issued the distress warrant, resulting in the recovery operation.
Dean was unable to pay his debt immediately so two cars and a van were towed away.
Should he fail to pay within six days the vehicles will be sent to auction, sold and the proceeds used to repay the victim. The house is still to be dealt with.