Three drug dealers have been ordered to repay more than £85,000 of their ill-gotten gains as a result of excellent work by Nottinghamshire Police’s Financial Investigation Unit.
The Proceeds of Crime Act legislation allows law enforcement agencies to investigate the financial history of offenders and apply to the crown court for a confiscation order. These orders are granted when investigators can show that the convicted person has profited from their criminality.
Confiscation orders can include both the value of the offending and the financial lifestyle of the convicted person and will culminate in their assets being sold if they cannot account for their legitimate history.
A portion of the funds raised from confiscation is returned to law enforcement and can be reinvested in tackling crime through crime prevention or community initiatives.
Kevin Nussey made thousands of pounds after flooding the Mansfield area with cocaine and cannabis over several months.
The scale of Nussey’s dealing was discovered when he was arrested for drug offences for a third time, with messages found on his phone detailing his plans to order half a kilo of cocaine.
Nussey was the person behind all this criminality and set up a drug operation ‘that went on for months and months’ until he was eventually stopped by police on 31 May 2020.
Nussey appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on 25 May 2022, having pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiring to supply Class A and B drugs, possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, and affray.
The 22-year-old, formerly of High Street, Edwinstowe, was jailed for five years – but that wasn’t end of his punishment.
Nussey now has to pay back £80,069.60 which he benefitted from crime after financial investigators successfully applied to the crown court for a confiscation order.
This lifetime debt will now be hanging over him until it is fully repaid.
In addition, the Force’s Financial Investigation Unit has managed to secure confiscation orders against two of Nussey’s drug dealing associates.
Nathan Holmes, aged 24, formerly of Walesby Lane, New Ollerton, has been ordered to repay £4,894.10 of his ill-gotten gains.
Holmes appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on 25 May 2022 after being convicted of two counts of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs and conspiring to supply Class A and B drugs. He was handed a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years.
Benjamin Hoyland, aged 25, formerly of Logan Street, Bulwell, must pay back £1,083.09 which he benefited from crime.
Hoyland was handed a two-year sentence, suspended for two years, for two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and conspiring to supply Class A and B drugs when he appeared at the same court for sentencing on 25 May 2022.
Detective Constable Christine Hewlett, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“I’m delighted with these successful Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings which send a really strong message out that crime does not pay.
‘Our financial investigators do a fantastic job ensuring offenders do not continue to benefit from their criminal activities. The sentences they are given are just the beginning.
“Cases such as this one show our determination to go after the proceeds of crime and stop those involved in organised criminality from benefitting financially.
“Our financial investigation team will continue to carry out regular reviews of their finances until every penny they earned through their offending is paid back.
“If future assets are identified, such as money or property, then these can be confiscated and go towards paying off their outstanding debt.”
Sean Hocking
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