Drug dealers ordered to repay £40k (From York Press)
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Drug dealers Andrew Corrie and Stephen David Liddle ordered to repay £40k
2:39pm Monday 22nd October 2012 in News
By Jennifer Bell, jennifer.bell@thepress.co.uk
TWO convicted drug dealers have been ordered to repay £40,000 after a judge ruled they made the money through an illegal lifestyle.
Andrew Corrie, 50 of Bondgate, Selby, and Stephen David Liddle, 35, of Hambleton Close, Selby, must repay £20,000 each, following an investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Corrie and Liddle pleaded guilty in August last year to cannabis production after police found more than 100 cannabis plants in various stages of growth at Corrie’s home. Officers also found hydroponic equipment, lighting units, incubators and ducting in the raid on December 9, 2010.
In November last year, they were both sentenced to a year’s imprisonment suspended for a year, and given 300 hours unpaid work.
On Friday at York Crown Court, Recorder Richard Woolfall found that the men had each benefited from their production to the sum of £20,000. He ordered they each repay £20,000 within six months. If they fail to do so, they will be jailed for 12 months and will still be liable to pay the money back.
Financial Investigator Peter Mekins, said: “Once again, the Proceeds of Crime Act has proved to be useful tool with which to target criminals where it hurts the most – their pocket.
“It is only right that they are forced to repay money which they have made by illegal means. Why should criminals live a lavish lifestyle at the expense and misery of our law-abiding communities?
“We will continue to make full use of the legislation under the Proceeds of Crime Act to take every opportunity to deprive criminals of their illegal earnings.”
• Community groups in York and North Yorkshire are set to reap the benefits from cash seized from criminals. North Yorkshire Police have relaunched their annual Why Should They? campaign, with £25,000 available.
Until October 31, non-profit making organisations, charities, volunteer and community groups whose work makes a positive contribution to reducing crime can apply for up to £3,000. For details, visit northyorkshire.police.uk/whyshouldthey
