Police recover £110,000 in criminal cash

Christopher Williams was one of the criminals ordered to pay back money made from crime this year

More than £100,000 has been recovered in the last month from criminals ordered to pay back money raised during their offending, police said.

South Yorkshire Police said its Economic Crime Unit's Asset Recovery Team had ordered criminals to pay back £110,000, which would be returned to the justice system.

It said one man who was jailed in June for drug and money-laundering offences had been ordered to pay back more than £12,500.

Christopher Williams, 34, of Daresbury Place in Sheffield, was jailed for 40 months, and was ordered to pay £12,812 within 28 days after he was found to have made £16,094 from his crimes.

A warrant was executed at Williams' home in July 2024 after a vehicle he was driving was seen to be involved in a drug deal.

He was found to have wraps of cocaine, and within his home had drug paraphernalia, a large quantity of cash and expensive jewellery - including a gold chain worth approximately £8,000.

Laura Hough, head of asset recovery, said: "Convicted criminals should not be allowed to benefit from their criminality which has inflicted misery on our local communities.

"The thorough work of the Asset Recovery Team ensures that even after going through the courts, perpetrators of crime are held wholly responsible for their offending.

"Money gathered from confiscation orders is paid back into the justice system and aims to positively affect the communities criminals have previously wreaked havoc upon."

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