Scrapyard boss and wife admit money laundering
SIX people have been convicted for their role in a £1 million stolen goods operation.
Great Harwood scrapyard boss Tommy Smith and his wife Mary Smith, Scott Paton and Steven Harwood pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court to conspiracy to handle stolen goods and money laundering.
The charges were the result of a ‘long running and complex’ Lancashire Police operation investigating the theft of plant and machinery from across the country.
The Observer is now able to report on their convictions after reporting restrictions in the case were lifted this week.
Tommy Smith, 42, and Mary Smith, 42, both of Meadow Street, Great Harwood, Steven Harwood, 51, of Lord Street, Rishton, and Scott Paton, 31, of Burnley Road, Brierfield, all pleaded guilty at
the start of a scheduled 12-week trial in mid-June.
Judge Simon Newell placed reporting restrictions on their convictions until the conclusion of a separate trial involving other co-defendants, including Leonard Perkins and Anthony Miller.
Perkins, 28, formerly of Bridgefield Close, Rishton, pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and two counts of theft.
Miller, 45, of Bostons, Great Harwood, was found guilty by majority verdict after a three-week trial of conspiracy to handle stolen goods.
Judge Newell adjourned sentence for all defendants to Tuesday, August 27, for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.
The Observer reported in November 2018 how Tommy ‘Hot Dog’ Smith was jailed for five years after being caught in possession of a sawn-off shotgun. The court heard how Smith had been threatened by a ‘rival faction’ from the travelling community at a boxing match in Penrith.
Smith, who had 23 previous convictions for 45 offences including GBH and ABH and witness intimidation, pleaded guilty on the day of trial to possessing a prohibited firearm.
Perkins supplied the shotgun to his employer Smith and pleaded guilty at a later hearing to transferring of a prohibited firearm. He was jailed for 37 months.