Fraudster jailed – from NSY

September 25, 2012, 2:19 pm

A convicted fraudster who evaded capture for six years has today been jailed for 18 months for failing to pay back a £241,000 Confiscation Order.

Louis Butcher, 51, from Braintree, Essex was arrested yesterday, Monday 24 September, for non-payment of the Confiscation Order following a proactive operation by the Metropolitan Police Service’s Asset Confiscation Team, the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), British Transport Police (BTP) and officers from the Kent Constabulary.

Under the name of Louis Everson, Butcher was convicted of money laundering in July 2000 and sentenced to seven years imprisonment following an investigation led by HMRC.

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In February 2002 at the Central Criminal Court, Butcher was made subject of a £200,000 Confiscation Order of which approximately £98,000 of the amount was deemed as hidden assets, monies he agreed he had received from criminal activity but monies which financial investigations were unable to trace.

Upon completion of his prison sentence, Butcher is believed to have fled the UK having paid less than a quarter of the monies owing, approximately £46,000. In November 2006 after failing to appear at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court a warrant was issued for his arrest.

After renewed efforts by officers to trace Butcher he was arrested yesterday, having changed his name by deed pole from Louis Everson and assuming the alias of Louis Butcher to evade arrest. It was this change in name which alerted police to him attempting to make his way back to the UK and he was detained at Ebbsfleet International Station on the Eurostar from Paris.

Butcher today admitted of being aware of the outstanding sum at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and indicated that he was not in a position to settle the outstanding balance. As a result the court imposed the default sentence for non-payment of the outstanding sum including interest and he was sentenced to 540 days imprisonment.

With interest owed, Butcher has been ordered to pay back the £241,000 despite the original amount totaling £200,000 and with a nominal payment of £46,000 already being paid.

Detective Sergeant Tim Irwin, of the MPS Asset Confiscation Enforcement Team, said: “The Met is committed to tracing those who mistakenly believe that they do not have to repay their debt to society. Louis Butcher evaded detection for almost six years but in partnership with HMRC we have been relentless in our search for him and after this prolonged period of time he has finally been brought to justice.

“This arrest is one of many we have made this year that has resulted in the recovery of in excess of £850,000 and more than 17 years of default prison terms being handed out to a number of criminals since the beginning of April.

“We will continue to ensure that orders such as these are paid in full no matter how long it takes. Butcher’s conviction shows that the Met will eventually track down those who owe money and reinforces the message that crime does not pay.”

Under the Order Butcher will still be liable to pay the sum of the order on his release from prison.