The Proceeds of Crime Act

Did you know? In the last year, we've clawed back more than £2.6 million from criminals in the North East. When it comes to taking the cash out of crime, we're winning. Some of the money seized has been used by Local Criminal Justice Boards to fund worthwhile community projects.

Home » Seizing criminals' assets » Criminals forced to cough up!

Criminals coughing up!

Here are some cases where criminals have been ordered to handover the proceeds of their illegal activities.

Disgraced couple have assets seized

A County Durham couple who obtained hundreds of thousands of pounds by deception have had their assets seized. Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, Paul and Julie Cruttenden from Aycliffe Village near Darlington have been ordered to pay back more than £500,000 after falsely obtaining benefit payments, bank loans, credit cards and mortgage advances. The order against the Cruttendens, who were sentenced to two years behind bars, was successfully obtained by Durham CPS.

Canoe couple who faked death to repay £600,000

Fraudster Anne Darwin has been ordered to pay back nearly £600,000 from a faked death scam she carried out with her husband. John Darwin supposedly drowned while canoeing off the Teesside coast in 2002, but then reappeared two years ago claiming to be suffering from amnesia. In that time, the couple had cashed in life insurance policies and accrued property in South America. Both are currently serving six year jail sentences. The CPS, led by Crown Advocate Jolyon Perks, succeeded in ordering Mrs Darwin to give back £363,000 as compensation to her victims, with the rest seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act. 

Drug smuggler has his wealth seized

Convicted drug smuggler Stephen Vaughan from Newcastle pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and money laundering. Vaughan not only received a prison term of 14 months, but the CPS successfully applied in May 2009 for the seizure of £130,000 as wealth he'd achieved through his criminal activity. He's been given 12 months to pay.

Disgraced university bursar forced to give up cash from house sale

The former bursar of a Durham university college who stole nearly half a million pounds from its bank account has been forced to handover cash from the sale of her home as compensation. Christine Starkey, 60, used her position at St Chad's College to transfer funds to her own account. She admitted stealing £488,281 and is currently serving a three year prison term. The CPS successfully applied for the profit from the sale of her home in Eaglescliffe, Teesside to be seized.