Drug dealer ordered to pay back £17k of illicit gains

A class A drug dealer who was jailed for four years in 2023 has been ordered to pay back almost £17,000 or face a further year in prison.

Ashley Venmore, 31, was jailed in November last year after pleading guilty to 15 offences relating to drug dealing and fraud.

 

 

He was initially arrested in Millfield, Peterborough, on 9 May 2023 after being caught driving a Range Rover Evoque while disqualified and suspected of fraudulently insuring vehicles.

His then home address in West Town, Peterborough, was searched following his arrest when police uncovered £6,000 in cash and about £6,400 worth of class A drugs including heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine.

 

 

The same day he was charged with driving without insurance and driving while disqualified, resulting in him being given an eight-week suspended prison sentence and being made to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.

He was released on police bail in relation to drug and fraud offences, but subsequent investigations found he had been taking out short-term insurance policies in his twin brother’s name and using his driving licence, knowing he would be unable to obtain insurance in his own name due to being disqualified.

Investigation into his finances revealed a vast disparity of money flowing through his bank accounts compared to his declared income from employment – more than £100,000 in excess of the declared income that had been credited to his accounts over the previous two years.

 

 

He was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs – heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine, ten counts of fraud by false representation – namely obtaining insurance policies in someone else’s name – possessing a false identity document – namely a driving licence in someone else’s name – and possession of criminal property – namely £6,000 in cash.

Almost £7,000 in cash and designer goods were seized by police, however, at a hearing held at Huntingdon Law Court on Friday (13 December), Venmore was ordered to hand over a further £10,000 from his ‘available assets’ – totalling £16,832.93 – within three months or face a further year in prison.

Detective Constable Andy MacDonald, who investigated, said: “Venmore was found to have a vast amount of money in his possession that he could not legitimately account for – through the role he played in the sale of class A drugs across Peterborough.

“His criminal business benefitted him to the tune of £173,171.91 – while he has only been ordered to pay the remaining ‘available’ assets of £10,000, the full benefit figure will remain with him for life, meaning he will be liable to having any future assets confiscated if suitable. Half of the money will go to the government, the remainder is then split equally between the Crown Prosecution Service, His Majesty’s Court Service and police.

“I would like to thank Financial Investigator Amy Mingay from the Proceeds of Crime Unit (POCU) within the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) for their assistance with this investigation – through joint working we have ensured a significant drug dealer has been stripped of his illicit gains.”

Anyone with information or concerns about drugs can report online via our dedicated drugs information webpage.