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Two fraudulent criminals ordered to pay back over £200,000
Two fraudulent criminals who stole thousands of pounds during their role as solicitors have been ordered to pay back more than £200,000.
Ayaz Siddique, 49, and Deepankar Dixit, 39, used a range of deceptive and co-ordinated tactics to fraudulently steal thousands of pounds whilst working at a solicitor’s office in Newcastle.
The pair funnelled money into a cash account they kept outside the business where Siddique was a Director.
An investigation led to the arrest and subsequent conviction of both Siddique, of Milvain Avenue, Fenham, Newcastle, and Dixit, of Springhill Gardens, Newcastle, in December 2019.
However, officers from the North East Regional Economic Crime Unit (RECU) weren’t satisfied.
RECU were determined that justice to the fullest extent needed to be served and their efforts helped lead to the duo being ordered to pay back a total of £205,000.
Detective Sergeant Thomas Maughan said: “Both Siddique and Dixit showed a blatant disregard for their professional obligations. Each of them acted outside the law and have now lost their status as solicitors.
“This has been months of hard work by an incredibly persistent and committed team of fraud and financial investigators and I want to thank them all for their contributions that have led to this successful outcome at court.
“This investigation shows that jail time isn’t the only form of justice that convicted offenders face. We will also seek to strip them of any assets and financial gain that their criminality has provided them – crime really doesn’t pay.”
Whilst Siddique and Dixit were serving jail time for false accounting, officers from RECU were pulling together a case under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
This looked at their financial activity prior to the offending, assessed the value of their assets and calculated what value each of them had illegally obtained through their criminal activity.
Appearing at Leeds Crown Court last Wednesday and Thursday, as part of Confiscation Orders granted by a judge, the duo were ordered to put their hands in their pockets and pay back hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Failing to adhere to the order could result in them facing a further jail term.
Detective Sergeant Maughan added: “This work is part of our continued efforts under the banner of Operation Sentinel to tackle and disrupt serious and organised crime.
“We are committed to bringing effective justice against any individual who believes themselves to be above the law and who carry out any form of unlawful activity in our communities.”
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It looks set to be one of ITV’s biggest dramas this year and The Hunt for Raoul Moat is being brought to screen by the same people responsible for smash hit shows Line of Duty, Bodyguard and Vigil.
It was confirmed last April that production on the series had commenced, nearly 12 years after Moat gunman shot ex girlfriend Samantha Stobbart and her new boyfriend Christopher Brown, with Brown dying from his injuries. After fleeing Samantha’s home in Birtley, Moat, who had been released from prison just days earlier, went on the run, shooting on duty policeman PC David Rathband in the face as he sat in a patrol car on the outskirts of Newcastle and leaving him blind.
From there, Moat headed for Northumberland, forcing the quiet village of Rothbury into a lockdown as police launched a frantic search for him. The hunt for Moat reached its conclusion with a tense stand-off between the killer and the police on a riverbank, with Moat eventually shooting himself and dying from his injuries as he was rushed to Newcastle General Hospital.
ITV announced three parter The Hunt for Raoul Moat almost a year ago, as filming got underway in Yorkshire, with a cast including ex Bodyguard star Matt Stokoe as Moat and Inspector George Gently actor Lee Ingeleby as police chief Neil Adamson.
ITV have yet to officially announce an release date for The Hunt for Raoul Moat, but is expected to be form part of the channel’s spring programming.
Peter Kay’s Newcastle show was thrown into chaos when three audience members fell ill.
According to the Sun the Phoenix Nights star halted his latest show and rushed to assist when he spotted a fan on the front row had become unwell and needed assistance.
Minutes later, a member of the audience was escorted out of the venue in a wheelchair.
An onlooker told the Sun: People near the front started shouting for an ambulance.
‘Peter asked if they were being serious, then he asked for the big lights to go on and stewards ran over to see what was going on.
‘He then went off stage for around 10/15 mins and one person was seen getting wheel-chaired out.’
After the situation was under control he got on with his show, but two more audience members then reportedly become unwell.
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International Women’s Day – The North East’s Most Influential Women – North East Updates
On this International Women’s Day, March 8, we highlight the extraordinary contributions made by women in the North East throughout history and the present. For hundreds of years, the women of the North East have shaped our world, and without them, things wouldn’t be the same.
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