Fraudster ordered to pay back £7m

Young was described in court as manipulative and deceitful

A convicted fraudster who masterminded a huge tax scam has been ordered to pay back almost £7m.

Noel Young, who imported and sold luxury cars, was sentenced to 28 months after admitting conspiracy to commit VAT fraud and money laundering.

The 32-year-old, from Carlisle, is already serving seven years for causing death by dangerous driving.

The £7m order, granted at Liverpool Crown Court, is thought to be one of the largest ever made.

Young, of The Green, Houghton, was found to have benefited by £10,551,747, and was described by Judge David Aubrey QC as "a manipulative and deceitful individual".

The fraud involved more than 250 vehicles and the total value of the scam was more than £14m, the court heard.

Car exploded

The judge ruled Young's identifiable assets were £446,747.

But he ruled that he also had "appreciable and significant hidden assets" and ordered £6,946,747 to be confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

If this sum is not handed over within six months he faces ten years' imprisonment.

During proceedings last month, Young claimed that he could barely read or write as he is "a Gypsy" and never had any schooling as his family had travelled around.

He said that he did not keep any accounts for his business.

Young was jailed in 2005 for crashing his Lamborghini so hard into an Audi driven by father-of-three Joseph Powley, that the car exploded, killing him instantly.

At Friday's confiscation hearing, Young's wife was also ordered to hand over almost £100,000 of her assets.