Man ordered to pay back thousands of pounds of criminal gains

A drug dealer from Winsford has been ordered to pay back more than £88,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Joshua Furmedge, 32, was originally handed a six-and-a-half-year sentence at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday 5th July 2024.

He had been found guilty of possession with intent to supply cocaine and possession of criminal property following a trial in May 2024.

It has since been determined that Furmedge benefited to the value of £350,000 due to his criminal enterprise.

Of this, £88,230.43 is available to be paid back under a POCA Confiscation Order. This includes cash, designer items, jewellery, vehicles and funds held across various bank accounts.

Detective Inspector Helen Williams said:

“When we first searched Furmedge’s address during the original investigation into his crimes, a large amount of cash and a number of high value lifestyle items were recovered.

“He was already clearly reaping the benefits of his behaviour, and he probably thought this could continue after he was released from prison.

“But we’ve worked hard to put a stop to this and ensure he pays back all of the available assets.

“This is a great example of the lengths we will go to in order to target those who have profited from crime and ensure that when they are released from prison, they can no longer benefit from wealth earned through criminal means.”