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14:18 GMT, Tuesday, 23 December 2008

Jail warning to scrapyard dealer

An illegal car scrapyard dealer has been told to pay almost £190,000 within six months or be jailed for a year.

Daniel Power, 29, made nearly £360,000 dealing in scrap at his home address Swansea Crown Court was told.

Power, of Y Bwthyn, Penllergaer, Swansea, admitted both running the scrapyard and money laundering.

He was told by a judge that unless he paid £188,698 he still had in assets he would be jailed. He must also carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.

Amongst the assets that must be sold were a BMW X3, a house worth £150,000 plus £11,627.87 in a bank account and a Lordship of Goldington title, valued at £6,000.

Gareth Leigh Davies, 23, who admitted two offences of assisting Power, was conditionally discharged.

At a previous hearing Power admitted two offences of dealing in controlled waste without a licence and one offence of money laundering.

"You will lose the land that has been in your family a long time, and provided you with your home, and working environment"
Judge Huw Davies QC

Environment Agency footage of illegal scrapyard

It was the first time Environment Agency Wales had prosecuted an illegal waste operator for money laundering, having argued that Power knew he was making money from an illegal activity.

Officers began to investigate him after noticing a vehicle carrying scrap cars entering his property in September 2006.

In January 2007 they started covert surveillance of the site.

The court heard that lorries were seen driving in and out to load scrap cars.

Officers saw fuel being drained from vehicles, and then set alight. Catalytic converters were removed from cars and then stored, as were wheels and tyres

Three months later evidence was seized to assist in the financial investigation that followed.

Tom Crowther, prosecuting, had previously told the court it was agreed by both sides that Power had made a total of £359,890 out of running the scrapyard.

Judge Huw Davies QC told Power he understood "the impact of this case on you has been substantial.

"You will lose the land that has been in your family a long time, and provided you with your home, and working environment," he added.

Speaking after the hearing, Graham Hillier, the agency's south west Wales manager, said: "Legal waste companies are having a tough time of it in the current financial climate.

"It is even more important, as regulators of the waste industry, that we make sure everyone operates on a level playing field.

"Those who choose to operate outside the law will now not only face prosecution and a criminal conviction, they now have to understand we have the power to take away any financial gain they may have made from their crimes.

"We want to reassure those who operate legally that those who undermine their businesses will be found - and taken to court."



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