A career criminal who was handed a £50,000 government Covid bounceback loan despite clocking up 48 convictions had such a “bad record” that the payment “defied belief”, a court was told.
Judge Anthony Cross QC commented on the coronavirus loans scheme while sentencing six men at Manchester crown court for their part in a conspiracy to steal and export expensive cars.
Cross questioned the ease with which Asif Hussain, 44, a “ringleader” in an organised criminal gang based in the northeast of England, managed to obtain the [state-backed loan](https://archive.is/ENuyD) despite his criminal record, [the *Financial Times* reported](https://archive.is/vpgOV).
The government’s loan scheme began in May 2020 and provided £47.4 billion of credit, channelled through 1.6 million loans. It is thought that up to £17 billion of the loans will not be repaid, and as much as £4.9 billion of the credit is believed to have been taken by fraudsters.
On Thursday Cross demanded that prosecutors provide information from “the relevant body” within 14 days explaining how Hussain obtained the £50,000 loan. He also wanted further information on two additional bounceback loans taken out by a fellow gang member.
He told the court: “The most basic of checks would have revealed the fraud.”
Under Hussain’s leadership, the gang stole cars including Range Rovers and Porsches, which were stripped down for parts, or to be exported to the Middle East.
The court heard how victims were robbed of their vehicles during “horrific” night-time ordeals, leaving them “terrified”.
Hussain, who lived in a detached home in Stockport, Cheshire, pleaded guilty to four offences including conspiracy to steal and fraud on the bounceback loan.
The court was told that his fake firm received money seven days after applying for the loan in May 2020.
Sentencing him to 15 years’ jail, Cross told him: “You have a bad record, including a sentence of four years for the supply of drugs. You have a total of 48 previous offences for dishonesty and other offences, That such a man as you was able to obtain a Covid loans defies belief.”
Another of the six defendants sentenced in relation to the criminal conspiracy, Ibraaz Shafique, 23, from Oldham in Greater Manchester, was sentenced to five years’ jail after admitting five offences, including two related to Covid bounceback loans he received worth £95,000.
*Debbie White*
Friday January 21 2022, 10.15am, The Times
I presume gangster is a euphemism for Lord or MP, right?
Is the gangster that judge? Because he looks like he has delivered and taken some beatings.
He’s not a gangster, he’s a businesman who’s business happens to be crime
4 comments
A career criminal who was handed a £50,000 government Covid bounceback loan despite clocking up 48 convictions had such a “bad record” that the payment “defied belief”, a court was told.
Judge Anthony Cross QC commented on the coronavirus loans scheme while sentencing six men at Manchester crown court for their part in a conspiracy to steal and export expensive cars.
Cross questioned the ease with which Asif Hussain, 44, a “ringleader” in an organised criminal gang based in the northeast of England, managed to obtain the [state-backed loan](https://archive.is/ENuyD) despite his criminal record, [the *Financial Times* reported](https://archive.is/vpgOV).
The government’s loan scheme began in May 2020 and provided £47.4 billion of credit, channelled through 1.6 million loans. It is thought that up to £17 billion of the loans will not be repaid, and as much as £4.9 billion of the credit is believed to have been taken by fraudsters.
On Thursday Cross demanded that prosecutors provide information from “the relevant body” within 14 days explaining how Hussain obtained the £50,000 loan. He also wanted further information on two additional bounceback loans taken out by a fellow gang member.
He told the court: “The most basic of checks would have revealed the fraud.”
Under Hussain’s leadership, the gang stole cars including Range Rovers and Porsches, which were stripped down for parts, or to be exported to the Middle East.
The court heard how victims were robbed of their vehicles during “horrific” night-time ordeals, leaving them “terrified”.
Hussain, who lived in a detached home in Stockport, Cheshire, pleaded guilty to four offences including conspiracy to steal and fraud on the bounceback loan.
The court was told that his fake firm received money seven days after applying for the loan in May 2020.
Sentencing him to 15 years’ jail, Cross told him: “You have a bad record, including a sentence of four years for the supply of drugs. You have a total of 48 previous offences for dishonesty and other offences, That such a man as you was able to obtain a Covid loans defies belief.”
Another of the six defendants sentenced in relation to the criminal conspiracy, Ibraaz Shafique, 23, from Oldham in Greater Manchester, was sentenced to five years’ jail after admitting five offences, including two related to Covid bounceback loans he received worth £95,000.
*Debbie White*
Friday January 21 2022, 10.15am, The Times
I presume gangster is a euphemism for Lord or MP, right?
Is the gangster that judge? Because he looks like he has delivered and taken some beatings.
He’s not a gangster, he’s a businesman who’s business happens to be crime