A TROWBRIDGE man has been ordered to pay back £70,000 after being charged for numerous crimes which included money laundering.

Stephen Worrell Burke, 46, of Cottles Barton, Staverton, was sentenced to six years and four months in prison in December after pleading guilty to money laundering, possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply, possession of a class B drug and making several false statements to obtain insurance.

Following a lengthy investigation into his background and cost of living, police found that the only legitimate earnings Burke had made was just £87 whilst his expenditure was over £88,000 which was spent on cars, holidays and expensive clothes.

A confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act was placed on Burke ordering him to pay back £70,000 over the course of his lifetime with £4,607.43 having to be paid within the next three months otherwise he would see his prison sentence extended.

PC Joe Shanklin, of the Dedicated Crime Team, said: “Through the money he had made through illegal activity, Burke was living a lavish lifestyle many hard working people can only dream of, with expensive cars and numerous holidays. This was despite his legal earnings totalling just £87.

“It is important to stress that with incidents of this nature, our investigations don’t just stop once the offender is behind bars. This case serves to prove that we will continue our investigations under the Proceeds of Crime Act and seek to seize and retain any property and possessions obtained unlawfully.

“We will not tolerate the behaviour of individuals like Burke and will do all that we can to strip them of the proceeds of their crimes.”