A YORK student’s bank account received deposits totalling £29,600 in six months, the city’s crown court heard.

Xin Zhou, 54, had no legitimate source of income apart from a £6 an hour occasional part-time job at a city restaurant, according to a police report before the court.

North Yorkshire Police solicitor Jonathan Tomlinson said bank staff called in the force because they were suspicious of a £10,000 transfer Zhou wanted to make to China - a day after £10,000 in cash was put into her account.

The money was frozen and York magistrates confiscated the £10,000 under anti-money laundering laws at a hearing Zhou did not attend.

Zhou, formerly living at student accommodation in York, and who has since given police an address in student accommodation in Luton, appealed the decision.

She was not present for the hearing before the crown court, nor was she represented.

Mr Tomlinson said the police had received an email that she was in China.

The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, sitting with two magistrates, agreed with the magistrates’ decision.