Transcript LIAISE Officers - South Tyneside Council

Denise Meek
LIAISE Officer
England Illegal Money Lending Team
The Illegal Money Lending
Team
• Trading Standards initiative, began in 2004
• Hosted by Birmingham City Council
• Before, over 20 years since loan shark
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prosecution!
A dedicated, specialist team of 60
Investigators prosecute Loan Sharks
LIAISE Officers raise awareness and provide
victim support
What makes us different?
• Self contained unit – in house mobile
forensics, AFIs, victim support
• Don’t use CPS to prosecute
• Prosecute for all offences
• Trading Standards team with embedded
Police
“Other” charges
Money laundering, Drug possession, Intent to supply drugs,
Possession of other people's property (passports), Possession
of firearms/prohibited weapon, Affray, Criminal damage,
Blackmail, Perverting the course of justice, Fraud - benefit
Fraud and false representation, Acquiring criminal property,
Concealing criminal property, Possession of counterfeit
goods, Intent to supply counterfeit goods (DVDs, clothes
and cigarettes), Deception, Rape, Kidnap and Assault
Identifying and Reacting to trends
• Taxi drivers
• Private rented
• Men
• Filipino nurses
• Older People
• MOSAIC
• Female loan
sharks…………….
Typical characteristics
• No credit agreements given
• No receipts for payment or payment
books
• Most payments are cash and weekly
• Violence and/or intimidation - threats
• May suggest payments in kind to
themselves or others
• Often work alone or have a tight group
of collectors
Loan shark diversity
• The friend of a friend “pay me back
whenever”
• The work colleague
• The rented debt
• The debt that is passed on
• The cage fighter
• The 78 year old woman
Victim diversity
• The single mum
• The company director
• The taxi driver
• The chaotic lifestyler
• The working Dad
• The Filipino nurse
Addressing the issues
• Using the full weight of
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the legislation available:
Consumer Credit Act
1974.
Proceeds of Crime Act
2002.
Theft Act 1968 –
Demanding money with
menaces / Blackmail.
Injunctions and anti
social behaviour Orders.
IMLT achievements to date
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Over 290 prosecutions
Over 2,000 more Loan Sharks identified
Over 22,000 victims have been helped
Over £40.3 million illegal “debt” wiped out
Over £27 million worth of assets being
investigated
Prison sentences totalling 172 years for
illegal money lending and associated crimes
(plus Indeterminate Sentence for Public
Protection)
General – LIAISE role
• Training – staff and community
• Weeks of action
• Victim and witness support
• Building relationships – generating
intelligence
• POCA spend
• Targeting organisations and developing
action plans
Any
Questions ?