Criminal fines scheme nets £1.4m

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A pilot scheme has seen almost £1.4m seized from criminals in the last five months, according to the government.

The cash was recovered by the National Enforcement Service (NES), which orders convicted criminals to sell their possessions to pay court fines.

If they refuse to sell their cars, clothes, or jewellery then they can be jailed and will still owe the money after having served their sentence.

The NES scheme began in the North West and Cheshire regions in April.

Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman will visit the scheme in Merseyside on Thursday for its official launch.

It includes a specialised Confiscation Unit in Huyton, Merseyside, which targets the possessions of high-level criminals involved in drug and people trafficking, organised burglary, money laundering and vehicle theft.

Apart from recovering the cash, the unit's efforts have also led to the jailing of seven people for crimes including conspiracy to supply drugs, obtaining money by deception and supplying drugs.

'Specialised skills'

Ms Harman said: "Tracking down serious criminals and forcing them to sell their belongings requires very specialised skills and intelligence-gathering and a commitment from many criminal justice agencies like the HM Courts Service, police, Probation Service, Assets Recovery Agency and Crown Prosecution Service.

"Victims of crime are among the biggest beneficiaries. Not just in terms of collecting and paying to them money they are owed but, also as it shows victims, their families and the community that criminals are being punished and justice is being done.

"To ensure that fines and asset recovery are a realistic sentencing alternative to prison they need to be enforced and that's what the National Enforcement Service is doing."

The certain knowledge that offenders will be pursued relentlessly if they try to avoid punishment will encourage them to comply with court orders Anne Bradley, NES project manager

The minister will also see how the Courts Service is using text messages to warn lower-level criminals that their fines are imminent or overdue.

A successful pilot project in Staffordshire last year initially saw some 150 texts sent, with three quarters of recipients then paying up.

Cash re-invested

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Wadmore from the Force Crime Operations Unit said: "A percentage of the money recovered is ploughed straight back into tackling crime in Merseyside, which is good news for Merseyside police and bad news for the criminals."

The NES is a new enforcement regime that has 4,000 officers and combines a range of initiatives.

These including better access by magistrates' courts to intelligence held by police and other government agencies - as the current whereabouts of 'hard to find' offenders - new search and enter powers, and a new fines enforcement scheme.

NES project manager Anne Bradley said: "Fines, community penalties and other orders of the court can only be credible sentencing options if they're enforced properly.

"The certain knowledge that offenders will be pursued relentlessly if they try to avoid punishment will encourage them to comply with court orders."

The NES is likely to be rolled out across England and Wales in April 2007.