Mission to seize assets 'a laughing stock to crime world Mr Bigs'

Published on Monday 8 March 2010 21:42

JUSTICE secretary Kenny MacAskill faced accusations from within his own party yesterday that the government has failed in its mission to seize assets from Scotland's biggest criminals.

Mr MacAskill attended a top-level summit yesterday with MSPs, police chiefs and former top drug officer Graeme Pearson to hear concerns over organised crime in central Scotland.

But a senior SNP councillor and long-term campaigner against crime claimed the government was going soft on drug dealers by failing to seize their assets through the courts.

Billy McAllister said proceeds of crime legislation, designed to confiscate assets from leading criminals, was a "laughing stock" in the crime world.

He highlighted the case of gangland figure Russell Stirton, who has not paid a penny to the courts despite a 5.6 million confiscation order imposed on him six years ago.

Speaking after the crime summit in Glasgow City Chambers, Mr McAllister, who represents the city's Canal ward, said: "Proceeds of crime legislation needs more teeth or it is nothing more than a laughing stock to the Mr Bigs of the crime world, who have largely remained in their plush villas without their fortunes being touched.

"These are the same people who brought heroin to our streets 30 years ago, still coining it in."

He added: "The case of Russell Stirton is a shining example. Six years ago he was ordered to pay millions by the courts, but has failed to pay a single penny. The government has got to act swiftly to give these confiscation orders more weight, we need action now because any delay will just see the problem getting worse.

"Recently we had a gangland shooting in a car park at one of Scotland's busiest supermarkets. It is only a matter of time before an innocent member of the public gets caught in the crossfire."

Glasgow businessman Stirton and his accomplice, Alex Anderson, were ordered to hand over 5.6m of suspected criminal assets six years ago but nothing has been confiscated, due to a lengthy legal battle.

It was revealed last year that of 60m frozen in criminal confiscations in Scotland in three years, 6m was recovered.

Mr MacAskill yesterday insisted that the authorities were making progress in confiscating proceeds of crime. He spoke out as he revealed that a top-of-the-range Audi Q7, seized during a drug operation in the north of Glasgow, was now being used by police.

He said: "For too long, gangsters have used flash cars as a very visible symbol of their supposed power over their communities. They are paid for with dirty money and fuelled by the blood, sweat and tears of decent people.

"This car has now become a symbol of something else – the tide that is turning against the gangsters.

"I congratulate Strathclyde Police on their determination to get back at the serious and organised criminals who have laboured under the illusion that they control parts of Glasgow. Well, the message is clear – you do not. You are not untouchable and your ill-gotten gains will be taken off you."