0:00:02 > 0:00:06Theft of public money costs the UK taxpayer over £20 billion a year.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09This case was one of the biggest cases we've ever had.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12It came into the region of about £500,000.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15It's money that should be going into the public pot to
0:00:15 > 0:00:17spend on essential services.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20The victims in this case are the public
0:00:20 > 0:00:25and the money could have been used to build schools or fund hospitals.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27And throughout the country there are specially trained
0:00:27 > 0:00:31investigators making sure that justice is served.
0:00:31 > 0:00:32The system cannot be beaten.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35They will be held to account at some point.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40In this series we meet the men and women across the UK committed
0:00:40 > 0:00:44to catching criminals who steal from you and me, the British taxpayer.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53But we also hear stories from people who genuinely need
0:00:53 > 0:00:55help from public money.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57I just didn't know where to turn or what to do.
0:00:57 > 0:01:03I just thought I'm just one of them lowlifes who's had an addiction.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07And sometimes they don't even realise they are entitled to it.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10I didn't know there was anything better out there
0:01:10 > 0:01:12until she started at the institute.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19Coming up, a serial fraudster steals millions in tax from all of us
0:01:19 > 0:01:22in a huge payroll scam...
0:01:22 > 0:01:24They thought he was a top-notch businessman
0:01:24 > 0:01:28when actually he is a thief and stole tax money.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31..a not so single mother who stole public money...
0:01:31 > 0:01:36She fraudulently claimed just over £93,000 in state benefits.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40..and the struggle of one woman who may never be able to
0:01:40 > 0:01:42return to the career she loves.
0:01:42 > 0:01:47I just feel for what I lack in my life,
0:01:47 > 0:01:51which was really, really painful.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00Huge houses, expensive cars, designer clothes
0:02:00 > 0:02:02and exclusive jewellery
0:02:02 > 0:02:04make up the lives of the rich and famous
0:02:04 > 0:02:07and a few criminals in the UK.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10If these goods have been purchased with the proceeds of illegal
0:02:10 > 0:02:15activity such as tax fraud it's down to financial investigators to
0:02:15 > 0:02:16claw that money back.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19There are people here trying to make money through serious crime
0:02:19 > 0:02:22and that's exactly what we're here to target.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25And when the lifestyles of West Midlands organised crime boss
0:02:25 > 0:02:29Thomas Scragg and his cronies came to the attention of Superintendent
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Shaun Edwards a multimillion-pound tax fraud was uncovered.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36There was evidence of that lavish lifestyle.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39There was a house with highly specced equipment,
0:02:39 > 0:02:43hi-tech equipment, very lavish vehicles outside.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46It was the house of a millionaire.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49But that millionaire, as we know now, was through
0:02:49 > 0:02:51stealing from the taxpayer.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55West Mids Police work alongside the Asset Recovery Team who have
0:02:55 > 0:02:58seized £126 million worth of goods
0:02:58 > 0:03:01from criminals in the past decade.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05The Regional Asset Recovery team ethos is effectively to disrupt and dismantle serious
0:03:05 > 0:03:09and organised crime groups utilising Proceeds Of Crime legislation
0:03:09 > 0:03:12or Criminal Justice Act legislation in order to strip
0:03:12 > 0:03:15criminals of their ill-gotten gains.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18And stripping these fraudsters of their assets also benefits us,
0:03:18 > 0:03:20the taxpayer.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Once the confiscation process has happened
0:03:22 > 0:03:25and the auditors have been satisfied then the money effectively
0:03:25 > 0:03:29comes back into the public purse, into central government.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33When Sergeant Derek Tinsley and his team came up against Thomas Scragg
0:03:33 > 0:03:36he certainly appeared to have benefited from his day-to-day activities.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38The period of offending was quite short
0:03:38 > 0:03:41but the returns on that were very significant,
0:03:41 > 0:03:46somewhere in the region of about £38 million that was scammed.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Scragg came to the attention of the police following a tip-off about
0:03:49 > 0:03:54a pair of brothers in Wolverhampton, Carl and Anthony Johnson.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57The community came to the police with concerns these were two
0:03:57 > 0:04:01people who were notorious in the local community.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04They were driving around in very flash cars, in Lamborghinis,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07and the public said to us. "Look at these two,
0:04:07 > 0:04:11"they've got no legitimate income, but they're driving round. It must be crime. Have a look at it."
0:04:11 > 0:04:13And that was exactly what we did.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17The brothers ran a security company but this didn't seem to be bringing
0:04:17 > 0:04:21in much business so the team started looking into their bank accounts.
0:04:21 > 0:04:26As the financial investigation developed into the Johnson brothers it was identified that there was a
0:04:26 > 0:04:29significant amount of money that they were receiving from the Moya group of companies.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33The investigation then focused on the Moya group of companies and it was
0:04:33 > 0:04:37identified that Thomas Scragg was one of the directors behind that company.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Therefore we needed to investigate and look at the behaviour
0:04:40 > 0:04:44and the criminal activity of Mr Thomas Scragg.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Over a ten-month period the Johnsons had received in the region
0:04:48 > 0:04:53of £2.4 million from Scragg's companies, the Moya group.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Money had been transferred to both their personal
0:04:56 > 0:04:57and company bank accounts.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00So the team needed to establish why Scragg had been paying
0:05:00 > 0:05:02the brothers in the first place.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06What we found was they were being paid by Thomas Scragg to
0:05:06 > 0:05:08provide, inverted commas, "protection" for him
0:05:08 > 0:05:12and that's where we started looking more closely at Thomas Scragg
0:05:12 > 0:05:15and what was the reason why he needed protection.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18When Shaun ran Scragg's name through the police database
0:05:18 > 0:05:22he discovered that Scragg had been the victim of a kidnapping.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Kidnapping is a fairly unusual crime although
0:05:24 > 0:05:27we do find it's a more common crime between criminals where
0:05:27 > 0:05:32criminals will kidnap each other in relation to criminal vendettas.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34And that's exactly what it was with Thomas Scragg.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36That's why we believe he was kidnapped and why
0:05:36 > 0:05:41he therefore employed the Johnson brothers to provide his protection.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47As soon as the team started looking seriously at Scragg they quickly
0:05:47 > 0:05:51found out that he was already on bail for a huge tax fraud.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55On top of that he had a fraud conviction dating back to 2004,
0:05:55 > 0:05:59but had escaped jail after giving evidence on his accomplices.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02It was this previous form which led the police to take a closer
0:06:02 > 0:06:04look at Scragg's activities.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10On the face of it Scragg purported to have a legitimate business where
0:06:10 > 0:06:13he offered payroll facilities to construction companies to take
0:06:13 > 0:06:17away the headaches of paying tax and National Insurance. "You give me a
0:06:17 > 0:06:20"sum of money for your workers and I'll pay them and I'll sort out their tax."
0:06:20 > 0:06:23But also he falsely purported through people
0:06:23 > 0:06:27he worked with that he had a dispensation from Her Majesty's
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Revenue And Customs that he could almost put a blanket on expenses
0:06:30 > 0:06:33rather than having to claim individual ones.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36And this would have been an attractive option for companies to do that.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39We actually investigated the Moya group of companies in exactly
0:06:39 > 0:06:41the same way as we would anybody else.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44It's all about the balance between legitimate
0:06:44 > 0:06:48sources of income against illegitimate sources of income.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52Moya seemed to be making huge profits and it didn't take
0:06:52 > 0:06:56the investigation long to uncover the extent of the new scam.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00What Moya were doing in effect was a payroll fraud.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03How the whole process of the fraud worked was that the money would come in,
0:07:03 > 0:07:07they would actually pay each employee on the minimum wage,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09they would then make up their original
0:07:09 > 0:07:13wage from out-of-pocket expenses that they never received.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17So in effect what Moya were doing was stripping the PAYE,
0:07:17 > 0:07:22the National Insurance, from each individual and then retaining that.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24The construction workers who'd entrusted Moya to
0:07:24 > 0:07:27handle their payroll had no idea Scragg was doctoring
0:07:27 > 0:07:30the paperwork to send to HMRC, enabling him
0:07:30 > 0:07:34to siphon off money that should have gone to the taxman from their wages.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37The impact on the workers from the payroll fraud by not paying
0:07:37 > 0:07:40any tax and National Insurance would be that
0:07:40 > 0:07:43when the state pension would actually effectively kick in they wouldn't
0:07:43 > 0:07:46have paid enough contributions in order to receive a state pension,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49or the state pension that they would receive would be far reduced.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53Just to put that into context each individual employee was losing
0:07:53 > 0:07:57approximately £300 per week.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01The deeper the team dug the more they uncovered about Scragg's operation.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04The size of Moya Payroll was huge.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08There were probably somewhere in the region of about 4,000 to 5,000
0:08:08 > 0:08:10employees on the books at any one time.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13The sums of money that was passing through the Moya accounts
0:08:13 > 0:08:14was in the millions per week.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16It was reckoned that Scragg
0:08:16 > 0:08:21and his company were making £6 million a year from this scam.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23So what was he doing with all this cash?
0:08:24 > 0:08:29Scragg, as a result of his payroll scam, had an extremely lavish lifestyle.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34High-grade cars, holidays, large house with all the trappings.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38So certainly he did lead the lavish lifestyle.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40It wasn't just Scragg who was living the high life.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43None of the group tried to hide their wealth at all.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45The Johnsons were driving round in top-of-the-range cars,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Lamborghinis, and actually at one point they saw a police officer
0:08:48 > 0:08:52and said to the police officer, "Who says crime doesn't pay? It does."
0:08:52 > 0:08:56The operation focused on Scragg and the Johnson brothers but the
0:08:56 > 0:09:00team was aware they needed to spread the net wider.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Thomas Scragg could not have committed this crime on his own.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06In actual fact he needed professional people around him
0:09:06 > 0:09:08such as lawyers and accountants and other companies
0:09:08 > 0:09:12and other businesses in order for him to commit the fraud.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15Not only just to commit fraud but also to deal with the money
0:09:15 > 0:09:17and the benefit from his criminality.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20These associates would have been enlisted to help Scragg find
0:09:20 > 0:09:24ways of storing and accessing his money undetected.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28Thomas Scragg needed to obtain cash from his bank
0:09:28 > 0:09:31account which is in the reverse of trying to layer it.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34The money then was followed not only through the Moya companies
0:09:34 > 0:09:37but over to a money service bureau whereby he'd laundered
0:09:37 > 0:09:40and obtained cash to the tune of something like £4.6 million.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44The whole process, who was involved in the laundering process
0:09:44 > 0:09:48are as guilty as Scragg, because without professional enablers
0:09:48 > 0:09:51then Thomas Scragg wouldn't be able to either obtain or utilise or
0:09:51 > 0:09:56extract the cash and his money in the way that he did.
0:09:56 > 0:10:01Later, the police have their work cut out proving Scragg's crimes in court.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06Scragg all the way through played the part of an innocent, successful businessman.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Now it's time to switch the focus from people who are willing to
0:10:10 > 0:10:14steal from all of us to someone who would love to help us all but can't.
0:10:14 > 0:10:19Many of us can only dream of doing a job that is satisfying,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22rewarding and ultimately makes us happy.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27So imagine if you are in a career you love only to have
0:10:27 > 0:10:30everything you've worked for cruelly taken away
0:10:30 > 0:10:34and your whole life turned upside down in the space of just one day.
0:10:36 > 0:10:386.30 the sight is OK.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41At least I was able to make out a bit of things,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44but by 8.30, completely blind.
0:10:44 > 0:10:49Dr Devaki has been practising as an obstetrician
0:10:49 > 0:10:52and gynaecologist for over 20 years delivering babies in many
0:10:52 > 0:10:55different hospitals throughout her career.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00- Was it always your dream to be a doctor?- Yes, it was.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03And once you got into practising medicine what was
0:11:03 > 0:11:04the attraction for you?
0:11:04 > 0:11:11The most interesting feature is to deliver a baby, which is really
0:11:11 > 0:11:16challenging at times. It's so nice to bring out a new life to the Earth.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18You just feel very happy.
0:11:18 > 0:11:24- How many babies would you say you've had a hand in delivering?- Countless.
0:11:24 > 0:11:30- If I'm on night on call easily 10 or 12.- 10 or 12 a night?- Easily, yes.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35- So you might have helped deliver tens of thousands of babies?- Yes.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Really? That many?
0:11:37 > 0:11:42What was it like when you first held someone's child in your hands?
0:11:42 > 0:11:48It's so nice. The babies... We all like babies, don't we?
0:11:48 > 0:11:53But the thing is after that first delivery when I got it,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55it feels really good.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58You are able to really do... Well,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01the lady also pushed, she did her part,
0:12:01 > 0:12:06but you also feel like you are helping her to get out the baby.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10Without your help definitely things are going to be difficult.
0:12:10 > 0:12:15And you've done that tens of thousands of times for different people?
0:12:15 > 0:12:16Yes, I have.
0:12:16 > 0:12:22Tell me what the situation was when everything changed for you.
0:12:22 > 0:12:27That morning I woke up normal. I did my Caesarean section theatre.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32After that I have to go to the clinic in the afternoon.
0:12:32 > 0:12:381.30 I'm in the clinic and I discover that I'm not able to read the files.
0:12:38 > 0:12:39The file looks blurred to me
0:12:39 > 0:12:44so that's the time I discovered there is something wrong with my sight.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46When you're saying blurred,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48- was it so blurred that you couldn't read it at all?- Yes.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53Even if I take it closer to me it wasn't really getting there.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58So I had to ask my specialist nurse to read the files for me.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00- That's really scary.- It is.
0:13:01 > 0:13:06When her sight didn't improve a few hours later Devaki knew that something was seriously wrong.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11That evening I went to see the physician.
0:13:11 > 0:13:17He just had a look and he said, "Your eyes are so inflamed, you are a
0:13:17 > 0:13:23"grade 4 papilloedema." Then he told me, "Whatever it is, you just have to come in."
0:13:23 > 0:13:25At six o'clock I am in the A & E.
0:13:25 > 0:13:31The sight is gradually going down. At 6.30 even a little bit of it is there.
0:13:31 > 0:13:358 or 8.30, by the time I am going to be moved into the ward,
0:13:35 > 0:13:40by the time they arranged a bed, completely I'm blind. It's really...
0:13:40 > 0:13:43I couldn't believe it.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51Devaki was diagnosed with optic atrophy, a condition that left her
0:13:51 > 0:13:54with initially swollen and then damaged optic nerves
0:13:54 > 0:13:58and crucially an almost complete loss of sight.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01I'm going to ask you possibly a difficult question now.
0:14:01 > 0:14:07Obviously you've spent your life training, with your medical training,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10to get to a very high level where you are able to help
0:14:10 > 0:14:16thousands of people have babies and that's been taken away from you.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20- I'm not quite sure... - It was a nightmare really, yes.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23- I don't know how I'd cope with that. - It's so difficult.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26There have been days where I am depressed
0:14:26 > 0:14:31because on my own I just feel for what I...
0:14:31 > 0:14:38what to say, lack in my life, which was really, really painful.
0:14:40 > 0:14:47I had to take my time in understanding my limitation,
0:14:47 > 0:14:53and to forget about what I cannot do
0:14:53 > 0:15:00and I want to find out my skills where I could just continue to
0:15:00 > 0:15:04practise health care but in a different form maybe
0:15:04 > 0:15:08because obviously without sight you cannot be delivering a baby.
0:15:08 > 0:15:14That is very dangerous. So even to accept that fact it took me long.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Devaki had been living off savings that were now running low.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21With no realistic chance of returning to the career she had loved
0:15:21 > 0:15:25and struggling to cope alone in London she was truly lost.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29You're here, you've given so much of your life to helping people
0:15:29 > 0:15:33and now it feels like you need a little bit of help just to
0:15:33 > 0:15:37get yourself so you are not stuck in your home the whole time,
0:15:37 > 0:15:39so you can go out.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43Yes, I want to overcome the barriers, but it wasn't easy.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45It was so difficult.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47Without anyone to care for her
0:15:47 > 0:15:50and with no assistance of any kind Devaki contacted
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Action For Blind People, who have been helping blind
0:15:53 > 0:15:57and partially sighted people for over 150 years.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Independent Living Coordinator Rob Mackenzie recognised
0:16:00 > 0:16:03straightaway that Devaki needed help.
0:16:03 > 0:16:08'I've been working with Miss Devaki now for the last six, seven months.'
0:16:10 > 0:16:15I think disorientated is maybe a good word to use.
0:16:15 > 0:16:20She was living outside of London, wasn't too sure what services,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24help and support may be available to her.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27Devaki had also struggled on her own for two years,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31not claiming a penny in benefit, and was in danger of losing her home.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35'By the point that she was in touch with us'
0:16:35 > 0:16:39and us working alongside her a little while had elapsed
0:16:39 > 0:16:44and she was digging into savings so I think it was only just in time that we
0:16:44 > 0:16:48were able to support her in applying for the benefits that she needed.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53Devaki was rehoused in a suitable property and now receives
0:16:53 > 0:16:58Employment Support Allowance, Housing Benefit and Personal Independence Payments.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02Once he'd helped her make ends meet Rob was able to start helping
0:17:02 > 0:17:03Devaki in other ways.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09'Working with any disability is challenging, but in this day
0:17:09 > 0:17:15'and age there are means and applications and ways to get by working with a disability.
0:17:15 > 0:17:21'Technology is a great help these days and it's improving every year.'
0:17:21 > 0:17:23The charity runs a job club where Devaki has access to
0:17:23 > 0:17:27state-of-the-art assistive computer technology which may
0:17:27 > 0:17:30hopefully get her back on the road to employment.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35I was so keen on improving my skills to suit my life as a disabled,
0:17:35 > 0:17:40so I just was looking forward to that. I started from scratch.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43It took 12 weeks for me to even get the keyboard right
0:17:43 > 0:17:46because I had to start touch typing.
0:17:46 > 0:17:51'They helped me to do the CV, some of the applications and stuff like that
0:17:51 > 0:17:54'and computer skills also.'
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Kate, who runs the job club, has been
0:17:56 > 0:17:59working regularly with Devaki.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02I think Dr Devaki is still adapting to the
0:18:02 > 0:18:04changes that she is experiencing.
0:18:04 > 0:18:10She was a doctor before and working in a full-time job with other
0:18:10 > 0:18:14people, working as part of the team.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19That has been taken away from her so it is adapting to changes
0:18:19 > 0:18:21and gaining her confidence back.
0:18:21 > 0:18:26Devaki now has access to courses and training that previously
0:18:26 > 0:18:27she didn't know existed.
0:18:27 > 0:18:32If I had not got in touch with them for the access technology
0:18:32 > 0:18:35I would have been lost.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39I don't know then whether I would have had any help, or not at all.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43I'm not sure what would have happened really. I can't think of it.
0:18:44 > 0:18:49It's one example of how Devaki is slowly piecing her life back together.
0:18:50 > 0:18:57Devaki is overall quite a bubbly, outgoing person
0:18:57 > 0:19:02but she did have worry and stress not knowing where, what and how.
0:19:02 > 0:19:07'Thankfully with our input she got some direction
0:19:07 > 0:19:10'and she's just bubbly all over again.'
0:19:10 > 0:19:15We will be here for Mrs Devaki as long as she does need our help,
0:19:15 > 0:19:17support or advice.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Happy to help wherever possible.
0:19:19 > 0:19:24It's support that everyone hopes will one day result in Devaki
0:19:24 > 0:19:26getting the job she deserves.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30You've got such a huge wealth of experience and knowledge
0:19:30 > 0:19:33and that hasn't changed.
0:19:33 > 0:19:39- Taking your sight away doesn't take that away, does it? - Yes. That's true.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41There's got to be a way to use that.
0:19:41 > 0:19:46You can't just take unsafe practice because I'm still blind
0:19:46 > 0:19:50and I don't want to really put someone's life into risk
0:19:50 > 0:19:54because of my desire to get back into practice. That's the thing.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57So I have to think of various options.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01I have got two options in my head which is going to be learning
0:20:01 > 0:20:07management and maybe go for a management job in the field
0:20:07 > 0:20:11of Obs and Gynae. I think I would make it successful, you know.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15- Devaki, I do wish you all the best. - Thank you very much.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Whatever happens next it's clear you've given
0:20:18 > 0:20:21so much of yourself over the years to help people and it would
0:20:21 > 0:20:25only be right that people can give you a bit of a leg up now as well.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29Yes. Thank you very much.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35There's undoubtedly one thing that Devaki dreams of doing above all others.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38I would like to get back to those days.
0:20:38 > 0:20:45I want to have a feel of delivering a baby and having the newborn,
0:20:45 > 0:20:49the feel of that in my hands really.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55Benefits are a hot topic.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Some people think we are too soft as a country
0:20:57 > 0:21:00and give hand-outs to people who don't need them.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Others recognise the fact that people quite rightly deserve
0:21:03 > 0:21:05a bit of help from time to time. One thing is certain.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08There are a tiny number of people who shamelessly lie
0:21:08 > 0:21:13and cheat to steal money they don't deserve from the rest of us.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Luckily there are organisations and people dedicated to catching these
0:21:16 > 0:21:21scammers and they'll do everything in their power to get them.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24The amount of money at the end of the day is irrelevant to us.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27We have a job to do and we will do it to the best of our ability.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31Neil Osliffe is Hyndburn Council's Fraud Manager
0:21:31 > 0:21:34and looks into all allegations of fraud in the area.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38I first became involved in the Dawn Wood case in October 2009.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41We got a telephone call through our fraud hotline.
0:21:41 > 0:21:47'An anonymous referral alleging that Dawn Wood was living with a partner.'
0:21:47 > 0:21:51A check of the council systems showed that Dawn was claiming
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Income and Housing Benefits but there was something else.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58We were aware of Miss Wood because we'd had a report about her
0:21:58 > 0:22:00going back to 2004
0:22:00 > 0:22:03when she originally claimed with us.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06'She made that claim on the basis that she was a single lady with two
0:22:06 > 0:22:09'small children and was pregnant at the time
0:22:09 > 0:22:11'with a third child on the way.'
0:22:11 > 0:22:13A tenancy agreement had been submitted by her to the
0:22:13 > 0:22:17Benefits Office, but on that tenancy agreement was a gentleman's
0:22:17 > 0:22:21name that had been scored out, which was most peculiar.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24The Benefits Office did what they were supposed to do
0:22:24 > 0:22:27and they contacted Miss Wood and asked her about this person.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30'Miss Wood wrote back in to the office saying she'd never heard
0:22:30 > 0:22:34'of this person and presumed it must have been a previous tenant.'
0:22:34 > 0:22:37On that basis the claim went ahead into payment.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40The name on the tenancy agreement matched the name that had been
0:22:40 > 0:22:45given by the anonymous caller as the partner with whom Dawn lived.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48It was definitely more than a little bit suspicious.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51It was at that point that the case was allocated to
0:22:51 > 0:22:53one of my officers to take it up on a full-time basis
0:22:53 > 0:22:56and really see what we could find out.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59The anonymous tip-off also passed on to the investigating officer
0:22:59 > 0:23:03the description of a vehicle that was regularly at the address.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05The officer wishes to remain anonymous.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08I took a trip out to the address
0:23:08 > 0:23:11and spotted that the car was parked outside the property.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14So I took details of the registration of the car
0:23:14 > 0:23:18and we do have access to get in touch with the police to do checks
0:23:18 > 0:23:21on registrations for us in regards to an investigation.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Police checks confirmed the car was registered to the man they
0:23:25 > 0:23:27believed to be at the property.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29With this evidence it was time to look into
0:23:29 > 0:23:33whether the benefits that Dawn was claiming matched her situation.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Obviously we needed to establish if he was working
0:23:36 > 0:23:38and they had more income into the property
0:23:38 > 0:23:42then there was a chance that they wouldn't be entitled to benefits.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Even though he wasn't under suspicion it was the information
0:23:45 > 0:23:49that the team had on Dawn's partner that would strengthen the case.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53But they were still a long way from being able to prove it.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56In my experience, dealing with a living together case,
0:23:56 > 0:24:00they are probably the hardest fraud that the investigating officer
0:24:00 > 0:24:02has to deal with and has to investigate.
0:24:02 > 0:24:03And that's quite simply
0:24:03 > 0:24:05because we're trying to put somebody in somebody else's
0:24:05 > 0:24:11property 24 hours for seven days a week, 365 days a year in some cases.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15Or in this specific case, going back historically over five years.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17It makes the job exceptionally difficult
0:24:17 > 0:24:20and we are looking for paper trails.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22They started hunting.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26I conducted some credit checks on the couple at the address.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28These results came back to us
0:24:28 > 0:24:31and they showed there was no joint credit files for the couple,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34but there was quite a lot in his name including a live bank
0:24:34 > 0:24:36account as well.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39We knew where he was working.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42We'd been in touch with his employers. Dawn Wood was classed
0:24:42 > 0:24:46next of kin, the address they held for him was the same as Dawn Wood.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49So all the other bits of evidence plus this,
0:24:49 > 0:24:51it was all linking together now.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54With the case looking strong on paper the team was granted
0:24:54 > 0:24:56permission to observe the property under
0:24:56 > 0:24:59the Regulation Of Investigatory Powers Act.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04Surveillance was conducted on about 20 occasions on the property,
0:25:04 > 0:25:0820 separate days, and on 16 of those occasions a male
0:25:08 > 0:25:09matching the description
0:25:09 > 0:25:12'was seen leaving the property.'
0:25:12 > 0:25:13Neil's decision
0:25:13 > 0:25:16to put the house under surveillance paid off.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21'We interviewed Dawn Wood under caution. I showed her all the evidence.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25'She was questioned whether he'd been living with her all this time.'
0:25:25 > 0:25:26She said no,
0:25:26 > 0:25:31that he was somebody that she'd had a one-night stand with back in 2003.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35He didn't move in with her when she first put a claim for benefit.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39The fact that she'd mentioned him on the tenancy agreement,
0:25:39 > 0:25:40she was asked about that,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43'and why she'd put that she wasn't sure who he was,'
0:25:43 > 0:25:45and that he was a previous tenant.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47She admitted that she lied about that.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49One of the pieces of evidence the team had gathered
0:25:49 > 0:25:54was from someone with irrefutable ties to the house and the couple.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57We had witness statements from the actual landlady of the property
0:25:57 > 0:26:01who clearly said in her statement that as far as she was
0:26:01 > 0:26:05concerned that they were a couple and that they even went
0:26:05 > 0:26:09round on Friday to collect the rent money and that he was paying the rent.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12The team also knew that Dawn's suspected partner's name
0:26:12 > 0:26:15was on the accounts for various bills at the address,
0:26:15 > 0:26:17so they questioned her about both.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39It seemed that Dawn was sticking to her story.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Dawn's explanation was that the man wasn't living with her,
0:26:54 > 0:26:56but he did stay over
0:26:56 > 0:26:58two to three times a week.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01She told the officers that he really lived at either his dad's or his
0:27:01 > 0:27:06sister's and that he only left this car at Dawn's when he'd had a drink.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09She basically told us, and it's what a lot of claimants
0:27:09 > 0:27:14use, they said it was a care-of address and he just got his mail sent there.
0:27:14 > 0:27:15But we weren't happy with that.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17The first interview was suspended
0:27:17 > 0:27:20so that the team could investigate Dawn's claims.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24When they did Dawn was back for another chance to explain herself.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29On the second occasion we put it to her that we'd checked the addresses that she'd provided and we
0:27:29 > 0:27:33could find no trace of this resident at either of these addresses.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36'She still refused to admit that he was living with her
0:27:36 > 0:27:38'and had done at any time.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41'And it was at that point that we put the allegation of failing
0:27:41 > 0:27:43to notify changes in circumstances
0:27:43 > 0:27:46and making false statements to obtain benefit to her.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48And that was the end of the interview.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51The team then submitted all the evidence to the
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Department For Work And Pensions to make a decision on how much
0:27:54 > 0:27:57benefit Dawn had falsely claimed.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00When the figure came back the scale of Dawn's crime was revealed.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06'She fraudulently claimed just over £93,000 in state benefits.'
0:28:06 > 0:28:10That's the highest case I've dealt with in my time at Hyndburn Borough Council.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14It's the largest fraud I've had the pleasure of dealing with.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20Because of the severity of Dawn's case it was referred to
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Burnley Crown Court.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25She was charged with three counts of section 111A
0:28:25 > 0:28:28of the Social Security Administration Act of 1992,
0:28:28 > 0:28:32which is dishonestly failing to notify changes in circumstances to gain benefit.
0:28:32 > 0:28:37'After a lot of toing and froing she pleaded guilty to all three counts,
0:28:37 > 0:28:41'the Housing Benefit, Income Support and Council Tax Benefit charges on all three.'
0:28:41 > 0:28:45She was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and she was taken down.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49Because of her actions Dawn received little sympathy.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55'It was a great result for the council. It made the local papers.'
0:28:55 > 0:28:58The size of the overpayment, everybody here at the council
0:28:58 > 0:29:01was very happy when sentence was passed on her, to be honest.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03But Dawn wasn't going to get away with a prison
0:29:03 > 0:29:07sentence by itself. There's the small matter of £93,000.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10The money has to be repaid back
0:29:10 > 0:29:12and will be repaid back over a period of time.
0:29:12 > 0:29:17It will take an awful long time to pay £93,000 back to the state,
0:29:17 > 0:29:20but recovery procedures are in process as we speak.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25While there is a tiny minority who fund an extravagant
0:29:25 > 0:29:28lifestyle by claiming money they're not entitled to from the state,
0:29:28 > 0:29:34there are others who work hard to live life in spite of the difficulties they face.
0:29:34 > 0:29:3614-year-old Daniel Southall wants to do the same
0:29:36 > 0:29:40things as any other teenager, but he's limited by his mobility.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48I go to town with my friends, I go to the cinema sometimes.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51I have friends around quite often as well.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53But Daniel was born with a condition that's affected him
0:29:53 > 0:29:55more and more as he's grown up.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59It's something his mother, Penny, has struggled with.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Dan's got Duchenne muscular dystrophy which is a degenerative
0:30:03 > 0:30:06condition in which the muscles gradually lose power.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10When boys, and the very few girls with Duchenne, are born
0:30:10 > 0:30:12they appear to be completely normal
0:30:12 > 0:30:17'and usually by the time they're in their mid-teens they're using a wheelchair all the time.'
0:30:17 > 0:30:20And then the hands and arms will also slowly get weaker.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26They used to live until their late teens or early 20s, but now
0:30:26 > 0:30:30quite a few of them are making it into their 30s or even beyond,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33so it's actually quite difficult to know what the future holds.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35We just have to live from day to day.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38Every minute the family can spend together is precious.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42As Daniel's mobility has degenerated, spending time with his
0:30:42 > 0:30:46two younger brothers Tom and Jack has become a bit of a challenge.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49It was sort of taking the edge really off some of the things
0:30:49 > 0:30:52we used to do together and it would mean there were some things
0:30:52 > 0:30:55we couldn't do at all which really wasn't very nice for him.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59Daniel receives benefits that enable the family to deal with
0:30:59 > 0:31:04everyday costs. But what he really needed was specialised equipment.
0:31:04 > 0:31:08This was something the NHS couldn't provide. The family needed help.
0:31:08 > 0:31:14I actually first heard about Caudwell Children in 2007.
0:31:14 > 0:31:19They fund both equipment grants and holidays for kids with
0:31:19 > 0:31:24disabilities, particularly life-limited children like Dan.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28Penny had heard about a wheelchair that would greatly improve
0:31:28 > 0:31:31Daniel's quality of life by allowing him to stand upright.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35Penny began fundraising and wrote to the charity to ask for some
0:31:35 > 0:31:38help to raise the £18,000 they needed.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41I was absolutely over the moon
0:31:41 > 0:31:46when I got a letter to say that they would fund 80% of the chair.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49I just screamed. I felt as though I'd won a competition.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52With this help and donations from relatives,
0:31:52 > 0:31:56friends and other charities the family was able to finally
0:31:56 > 0:32:00afford the chair they hoped would bring them all together.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04So the difference it's made to us as a family has been huge.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07It's just like any other family being out together.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Everyone can just do their own thing at their own pace
0:32:10 > 0:32:16and we can have such a good time together. It is just priceless really.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18For Daniel the support of those around him
0:32:18 > 0:32:22and his new chair means that he can now have the independence he needs.
0:32:22 > 0:32:27'In the future I'm most looking forward to just being able to'
0:32:27 > 0:32:31do more things from now on, now that I've got this chair.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35'It just helps me get around from day to day.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38'If I didn't have it I'd just be sitting in my bed all day.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41'It just makes everything so much easier on a daily basis.'
0:32:41 > 0:32:44It's really changed my life a lot.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49But now we'll move away from those in need to people who lie
0:32:49 > 0:32:51and cheat to bleed money from the state.
0:32:51 > 0:32:56In Birmingham Derek Tinsley of the West Midlands Regional Asset Recovery Team
0:32:56 > 0:32:58was working on the case of Thomas Scragg.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02He was suspected of stealing an estimated £6 million
0:33:02 > 0:33:06of taxpayers' money in a complex payroll scam.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11The team had established both how Scragg's fraud worked
0:33:11 > 0:33:13and how he was laundering his money.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16It was now time to start taking action.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21It became very apparent exactly what the criminality was
0:33:21 > 0:33:24and what was going on.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28We then set about covertly obtaining restraint orders in order to
0:33:28 > 0:33:30freeze his assets.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33With these measures in place came the moment that
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Superintendent Shaun Edwards had been waiting for.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39We felt we had enough to serve a warrant on his house.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41Obviously we don't want to cause distress to the family
0:33:41 > 0:33:44because people are still innocent till proven guilty,
0:33:44 > 0:33:46'so we do it in a polite manner, but in a firm manner as well.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49'So we made sure we searched the whole house.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51'We would have taken away documents.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54'We took away some of the sporting memorabilia that we found there'
0:33:54 > 0:33:56as evidence of what he'd been spending his money on,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58taking photographs, videos.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01It is our one chance to gather all that evidence.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05Finally with Scragg captive Shaun had the chance to question him.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Scragg was interviewed under caution as part of the arrest.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11He gave the impression that he was a successful businessman
0:34:11 > 0:34:13and there was nothing wrong with what he was doing.
0:34:13 > 0:34:14But the police didn't agree.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17After serving warrants on various addresses Scragg
0:34:17 > 0:34:20and another 12 co-defendants were arrested
0:34:20 > 0:34:24and charged with conspiracy to cheat Her Majesty's Revenue And Customs.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26For Scragg this came on top of the fraud
0:34:26 > 0:34:31charges from 2002 to 2007 for which he was awaiting trial.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35And the total figure he was estimated to have stolen was
0:34:35 > 0:34:37a staggering £38 million.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Once we had all the evidence we felt we were
0:34:44 > 0:34:47in a really strong position to present that evidence in court.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50Quite a complex fraud that he ran but we needed to break it down
0:34:50 > 0:34:52and present it as clearly
0:34:52 > 0:34:56as possible so that the jury could understand exactly what Scragg had done.
0:34:56 > 0:35:01In November 2010 Scragg was finally brought to trial.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04Thomas Scragg was charged with conspiracy to cheat the HMRC
0:35:04 > 0:35:07when he came here to Birmingham Crown Court.
0:35:07 > 0:35:11We had a lot of evidence in relation to his scheme.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13We had evidence from workers,
0:35:13 > 0:35:16'the fact that they didn't incur those expenses.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18'We had evidence from his company,
0:35:18 > 0:35:21'the fact that his company had a computer program which was
0:35:21 > 0:35:24'purely designed to maximise the amount of expenses they claimed,'
0:35:24 > 0:35:28and to minimise the amount of tax they paid, ie they'd pocket that tax
0:35:28 > 0:35:30and use it for their own means.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33But there were no guarantees that Scragg would be found guilty
0:35:33 > 0:35:37and his brazen attitude to stealing taxpayers' money was
0:35:37 > 0:35:39reflected in court.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43During the trial Scragg very much all the way through played
0:35:43 > 0:35:46the part of an innocent, successful businessman.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49In fact he actually lauded his role.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51To quote him he said, "David Beckham is Golden Balls,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54"I'm the Golden Balls of Moya." He actually thought that he was a
0:35:54 > 0:35:59top-notch businessman when actually he's a thief who stole tax money.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03The trial of Thomas Scragg
0:36:03 > 0:36:06and 12 of his associates from Moya lasted four months and at the
0:36:06 > 0:36:10end of a very complex process the verdict was finally delivered.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13The jury after their deliberations came back
0:36:13 > 0:36:14and they found Thomas Scragg
0:36:14 > 0:36:16and the other directors guilty of cheating
0:36:16 > 0:36:20Her Majesty's Revenue And Customs, the actual charge that they were indicted with.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24After five years spent nailing Scragg it was now down to the judge
0:36:24 > 0:36:25to decide on his fate.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30The judge during his sentence of Scragg reflected
0:36:30 > 0:36:32the seriousness of the offence.
0:36:32 > 0:36:33He sentenced him to a totality
0:36:33 > 0:36:36of 17 years in prison for his scam.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39I think it reflects the seriousness of what Thomas Scragg did,
0:36:39 > 0:36:43stealing money from the public purse.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46We were pleased with the sentence and it did reflect
0:36:46 > 0:36:48the seriousness of the offending,
0:36:48 > 0:36:50but what we wanted to do was put some of that money back
0:36:50 > 0:36:54that he'd stolen from the public purse, back to HMRC
0:36:54 > 0:36:57to be spent on public services like it should be.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59So our investigation didn't finish there.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04And the Asset Recovery Team were determined to make sure
0:37:04 > 0:37:06Scragg paid back what wasn't his.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10As a result of the confiscation process approximately
0:37:10 > 0:37:14£1 million has been recovered from Thomas Scragg.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16And Derek is not finished yet.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18There is more cash still to be had
0:37:18 > 0:37:22and the confiscation process is still ongoing and I am confident
0:37:22 > 0:37:25that there is still more money to be recovered from this crime.
0:37:25 > 0:37:30And in July 2012 it was the notorious Johnson brothers' turn to
0:37:30 > 0:37:32go up in front of a judge.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36The Johnsons at court were found guilty subsequently of money
0:37:36 > 0:37:40laundering and they were both sentenced to two years and nine months
0:37:40 > 0:37:43and again with them, though we were pleased with the sentence, we really wanted
0:37:43 > 0:37:46to get some of the money that they'd received back into the public purse.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48The Johnsons were ordered to pay back
0:37:48 > 0:37:53almost £340,000 on top of assets already seized and in total,
0:37:53 > 0:37:59Thomas Scragg and his co-defendants were hit with confiscation orders of more than £30 million.
0:38:01 > 0:38:02When the police raided Scragg
0:38:02 > 0:38:04and the Johnsons' addresses they
0:38:04 > 0:38:08took away anything of value that could have been bought with stolen cash.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16Today at Wilsons Auctions in County Antrim Peter Johnston is
0:38:16 > 0:38:20overseeing the sale of some of the Johnson brothers' seized property
0:38:20 > 0:38:25and the proceeds will be used to pay off part of their confiscation orders.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27We actually have three auctions on tonight.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29We have cars downstairs, 200 cars to go through,
0:38:29 > 0:38:32and a property auction on downstairs also.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35But this is the hall we're going to keep the memorabilia.
0:38:35 > 0:38:41Some of Scragg's possessions sold here in September 2013,
0:38:41 > 0:38:43making over £150,000.
0:38:43 > 0:38:48Asset Recovery Manager Aidan Larkin handles all the items that
0:38:48 > 0:38:50come to the auction house from police seizures
0:38:50 > 0:38:54and knows Scragg and the Johnsons' property very well.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57In these cases, your sort of stereotypical proceeds of crime
0:38:57 > 0:39:00cases, it's sports memorabilia.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03So in this case connected to the Scragg and Johnson brothers
0:39:03 > 0:39:08we have some signed memorabilia from Wayne Rooney and a particularly nice
0:39:08 > 0:39:12Joe Louis championship belt complete with certificates of authenticity.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15So these things actually adorned the walls of the various people's
0:39:15 > 0:39:17houses or bars or businesses.
0:39:17 > 0:39:192,000...
0:39:19 > 0:39:23The brothers had a keen interest in sporting memorabilia
0:39:23 > 0:39:28and it was one of the things they'd spent bundles of stolen cash on.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31There's so much of it, it means that the private individual can come along
0:39:31 > 0:39:35and buy one piece, or the collector can buy a complete set of pieces.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39It's the sheer volume of the items in one room at the one time that makes it interesting.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42Online at £100, bidding...
0:39:42 > 0:39:46And it's not only sporting memorabilia that is up for grabs.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49So some of the jewellery pieces that are up for auction
0:39:49 > 0:39:54tonight from the Scragg case. Some diamond-encrusted bracelets,
0:39:54 > 0:39:58some lovely pocket watches, even a Krugerrand coin,
0:39:58 > 0:40:03a solid gold Krugerrand coin, across into some pretty fancy
0:40:03 > 0:40:07Franck Muller diamond-encrusted watches and your standard Rolexes,
0:40:07 > 0:40:09if you can call them standard.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13So there's been quite a bit of interest in the jewellery lots tonight.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15Every lot that sells tonight will contribute to the
0:40:15 > 0:40:18hundreds of thousands of pounds that the Johnsons have to
0:40:18 > 0:40:22pay as a result of their confiscation orders.
0:40:22 > 0:40:27And as the bids come in thick and fast each one is adding funds to the public purse.
0:40:27 > 0:40:34This lot, 156, Pele top, always popular, 100 bid, 120,
0:40:34 > 0:40:40120 bid, the Pele signed top, 120, all out, 120 bid, at 140 now,
0:40:40 > 0:40:44140 bid, 160 bid, hall bidder
0:40:44 > 0:40:50at £160, online bid at 180, 180 for the Pele top, 180 bid,
0:40:50 > 0:40:55200, at 200, selling at left of me at £200.
0:40:55 > 0:41:00Hall bidder, 20, 220, 220 for Pele, at 220, what do you think, 240 bid,
0:41:00 > 0:41:05240 bid, bidding left then at £240, only at 240 bid.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08He's out. At 240 in the hall...
0:41:08 > 0:41:11Siobhan is one of the bidders going home happy
0:41:11 > 0:41:15as she picks up a shirt signed by football legend Pele.
0:41:15 > 0:41:20My husband is an avid football supporter of any team whatsoever,
0:41:20 > 0:41:24'but Pele is one of his favourites. It's for his birthday which is coming up in July here'
0:41:24 > 0:41:26so it will be a nice present I think.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29Pele's signed shirt may well have been one of the Johnsons'
0:41:29 > 0:41:33favourite possessions, but here it's simply lot 156.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35I'm here at a legitimate auction
0:41:35 > 0:41:39so whatever is here is here for someone to buy,
0:41:39 > 0:41:43in which case that person just happens to be me,
0:41:43 > 0:41:46so I don't have any inhibitions about it at all.
0:41:46 > 0:41:51I bought what I liked quite simply. They shouldn't have these things in their possession to start with,
0:41:51 > 0:41:54'particularly if they've obtained them in the way that they have,'
0:41:54 > 0:41:57but on the same token it is great that they are coming back
0:41:57 > 0:42:00into circulation for people who are legitimate buyers who can be
0:42:00 > 0:42:03proud of their purchase for the right reasons.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07After 185 lots the Johnsons' jewellery, memorabilia
0:42:07 > 0:42:11and other items will all be going to new homes.
0:42:11 > 0:42:12It went OK.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16As we thought any of the lots that were endorsed to the
0:42:16 > 0:42:20actual individuals, to the Scraggs or to the Johnsons, were tough,
0:42:20 > 0:42:22because they were in the pictures.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24But we got bids, we got them sold.
0:42:24 > 0:42:28Any of the items that were just signed by the stars sold well.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30Plenty of bids on those.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33And the art et cetera and the jewels et cetera sold particularly well
0:42:33 > 0:42:36so all in all not a bad night.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39The important bit is getting the money back into the public purse
0:42:39 > 0:42:42so hopefully the authorities will be pleased with the result.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46In total that figure is £80,000 of which the Johnson brothers
0:42:46 > 0:42:49will receive exactly, well, nothing.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52And their prized possessions, well, they are gone too.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56The Johnsons' confiscation orders meant that the cars and houses
0:42:56 > 0:43:00they so proudly bragged about were taken off them along with everything else.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03And the same can be said for arch scrounger Thomas Scragg
0:43:03 > 0:43:06who's also got years of his sentence still to serve.