A drugs boss who lived a lavish lifestyle from crime will have his designer clothes sold off to pay back some of his ill-gotten gains. Jonathan Walsh, 34, benefited from crime to the tune of almost three quarters of a million pounds.
He ran a huge drugs trafficking operation, peddling cannabis and amphetamine from Greater Manchester to Nottinghamshire. Walsh's girlfriend Jodie Bowie, 32, also got involved in the drugs plot and similarly enjoyed a luxury lifestyle.
The ‘sophisticated’ drugs plot funded designer clothes, expensive jewellery, high-powered cars and cosmetic surgery appointments. Convicted armed robber Walsh was locked up for 15 years, while Bowie avoided jail.
Under Proceeds of Crime laws, Walsh will have to pay back just over £40,000, representing the value of items seized by police including designer clothes worth about £38,000 and a van worth £2,000. He benefited from crime to the tune of £738,750, a hearing at Manchester Crown Court heard.
Walsh has £41,010 worth of available funds, the value of designer clothes and a Citroen Berlingo van. The clothes and van are now set to be sold off by police.
Bowie, who worked as a carer for the elderly, is also set to face proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Her case was adjourned until next month.
The couple met on Facebook after he served a 14 year prison sentence for armed robbery. Bowie became involved in Walsh's drugs conspiracy.
When one of Walsh's couriers was arrested, Bowie was so determined to keep things going she enlisted her mum, dad, and brother to help with moving the cash generated by the racket. When Bowie's home was raided by police, officers discovered more than £100,000 worth of designer clothes as well as £10,000 in cash.
Another visit by police recovered clothing valued at £27,000, another £5,410 in cash, while messages on her phone showed her making arrangements with Walsh to spend around £5,000 on cosmetic surgery. At a previous hearing, prosecutor Tom Challinor said of the couple's initial weeks together: "Over a very short period of time Walsh began to accrue possessions of a lavish lifestyle, including Rolex watches, designer clothing, and driving expensive cars at £1,300 a month.
"They decked out their house in lavish decor which indicated that sort of lifestyle. Jodie Bowie worked at the time but was not on the sort of income which could have supported that lifestyle. When it came to spending money, she was fearless."
Walsh, of Warwick Road, Failsworth, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs and money laundering and was later found guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm, conspiracy to possess ammunition and conspiracy to possess an explosive device after trial at Manchester Crown Court in September last year.
Bowie, of Medlock Road, Failsworth, Manchester received 21 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, a three month curfew between 7pm and 5.30am, 140 hours unpaid work and ten rehabilitation activity requirement days, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class B cannabis and money laundering.
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