Wolverhampton cafe owner jailed for dealing cocaine given until January to prove his assets were not bought with ill-gotten gains
A Wolverhampton cafe owner jailed for drugs and guns offences has been given until January to come clean about his criminal assets.
Top Nosh Cafe owner Jagtar Dhinsay was sentenced to five years and three months in prison at Wolverhampton Crown Court in November, last year.
The 50-year-old, of Oaklands, Wombourne, pleaded guilty to drugs and firearms offences after an armed police raid at the popular cafe in Hampton Walk off Queen's Square found £4,200 worth of cocaine, cash and two guns with ammunition.
Over the last year detectives have been trawling through Dhinsay's finances ahead for a Proceeds of Crime Act prosecution.
Dhinsay appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday) for a hearing concerning next year's POCA prosecution.
The court heard Dhinsay will have to prove his assets, including property which is rented out, and it needs to be shown it was legally obtained to prevent them being included in the proceeds of crime prosecution.
Unlike most prosecutions where the onus is on the prosecution to prove a defendant's guilt in a POCA prosecution, the defence has to provide evidence to show assets are not from criminal activities.
Dhinsay will be ordered to pay back an amount of money which the court deems he made from illegal means including selling cocaine. The defence were given until January to provide evidence to be included in February's hearing.
Recorder Kevin Hegarty KC said: "The case will be heard on February 13 next year with a half day time estimate.
"Any evidence from the defence needs to be submitted by January 12."