Convicted car dealer given extra 11 months imprisonment for hiding assets

A car dealer convicted of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering offences has been sentenced to an additional 11 months after breaching a Crown Court restraint order.

The case against Kirk Michael Claus was brought by City of York Council on behalf of the regional Scambuster Team.

Claus had been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment in August 2012 for conspiring to defraud the customers of Chequered Flag Car Sales and money laundering offences.

This led to a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation. The defendant was subject to a restraint order that prohibited him from disposing of or dealing with any of his assets pending a confiscation hearing.

Claus was this week (1 August) sentenced to the additional term of imprisonment for three breaches of the restraint order.

This was after he was found to have dishonestly attempted to frustrate the investigation by hiding and dissipating his assets by placing them out of the jurisdiction of the court.

His Honour Judge Kearl QC said: “These were deliberate, determined and repeated attempts to hide your assets. I have made orders and expect them to be carried out”.

He also warned Claus that if any further acts of contempt were brought before him he could expect much longer sentences.

The judge issued an order authorising the sale of cars, motorcycles and other items that were seized. The sale is expected to raise an estimated £1m.

Colin Rumford, Head of Public Protection at City of York Council, said: “The scale of Mr Claus’ attempts to hide his assets was quite staggering. Scambuster officers working with the North East Regional Asset Recovery team, the West Yorkshire Todmorden based Upper Valley Local Policing Team, and other police forces seized over 100 hidden cars and motor cycles from locations as far afield as Northampton, Wales and Heysham dock near Liverpool.”