20 Mar 2008
Taxi-scam gang smashed by Customs
NINE South Tynesiders have admitted their part in a five-year
money-laundering scam involved more than £172,000.
Gang leader Peter Robinson, formerly of South Tyneside, and John Moore,
of Jarrow, are today behind bars for their part in the scam, which involved
taxi licenses from South Tyneside Council.
Seven more men and women from all across the borough are due to be
sentenced next month after admitting their involvement.
Five members of the 12-strong gang were jailed at Bournemouth Crown
Court for a total of five years and two months last week.
Moore, 41, of Fieldway, Hedworth, Jarrow, was jailed for 16 months.
South Tyneside Council was involved in the complex task of nailing the gang.
A web of bank and building society accounts stretched across North East
England, Dorset and Guernsey.
More than £167,000 was moved among the gang members using cheques
and cash.
The court was told how the scam came to light after 43-year-old Robinson,
who changed his name by deed poll and used three aliases, was arrested
at his home in Good Road, Poole, in September 2006 along with
accomplice Philip Fendley, of Wilson Road, Dorchester, when 1.5 tonnes of
tobacco were found in two vans.
A further stash of smuggled tobacco and 377,000 cigarettes were found in
storage units in Poole. The duty evaded was estimated at £236,000.
During searchs of Robinson's home, bundles of cash wrapped in clingfilm
stashed in the loft and in bedside cabinets.
One batch of £87,290 was discovered hidden in a cool bag under his bed.
At a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court last November, Robinson and
Fendley, along with Jaqueline Ridley and Joseph Michael Munroe were
found guilty on 12 counts.
It was during the trial that details of Robinson's buying and selling taxi
licences issued by South Tyneside Council came to light.
In January this year Moore, Melanie Wilson, 21, of Brodie Close,
Whiteleas, South Shields and Ann Pearce, 68, and Grant William Pearce,
42 both of Bamburgh Avenue, Horsley Hill, South Shields, pleaded guilty to
seven counts of criminal activity.
David Monroe and Carol Slesser, both 47 and of Bunyan Avenue Biddick
Hall, South Shields, pleaded guilty to the same seven counts at Dorchester
Crown Court on September 21, 2007.
Raymond Hayes, 49, of Wilton Gardens, Boldon Colliery, and Kevin
Jackson, 42, of Ede Avenue, Horsley Hill, have also admitted their part in
the scam.
All will be sentenced next month.
Coun Michael Clare, lead member for environment, housing and transport,
with South Tyneside Council, said today: "Our licensing section played a
key role in this complex case, with one officer providing crucial evidence
during the trial.
"Robinson was selling and hiring licence plates and then laundering the
money through licensees' accounts.
"This case demonstrates our commitment to working in partnership with
other agencies as part of our efforts to pursue and take action against
anyone who attempts to profit from illegal activities."
Andrew Pavlinic, HM Revenue and Customs assistant director for criminal
investigations in the south, said: "We have a duty to stop money being
diverted and stolen from the nation in what are often large scale and
ruthless attacks on the tax system.
"The sophistication of the organised crime gang behind this fraud meant
that our investigations were complex and involved working with other
government departments and local authorities.
"But we are committed to bringing the criminals responsible to justice and
to recovering the money stolen from the British taxpayer, wherever in the
world our investigations lead.
"This is not victimless crime, it is organised crime and it causes real harm."
Robinson was also found guilty of benefit fraud, for which he was
sentenced to a further 10 months.
Source: Shields Gazette
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