Triple killer’s £2800 let-off
FURY AFTER ARSON MURDERER’S PAY ORDER Experts call for shake-up over probe into thug who made £119k from crime
Norman Silvester A triple arson attack killer with links to organised crime has been told to pay just £2800 after a four-year dirty money probe.
Senior legal f igures and politicians called for an urgent review of Scotland’s proceeds of crime laws after the outcome of the Crown Office inquiry into Scott Snowden.
The 41-year- old was jailed for a minimum of 33 years for murdering rival Thomas Sharkey, 55, his son Thomas Jr, 21, and daughter Bridget, eight, at their f lat in Helensburgh in 2011.
Investigators at the Civil Recovery Unit said Snowden had made £119,000 of illicit cash from crime in a six-year period before his arrest.
They then issued a confiscation order for £ 8500.
It was believed that the career criminal had made hundreds of thousands of pounds from the drugs trade, protection rackets and insurance frauds.
But now, after years of probing, they have accepted the killer has just £2800 in assets.
The Crown Office said the investigation was a success – and claimed the confiscation order allows them to seize Snowden’s earnings when he is released.
He will not be eligible for parole until at least 2045, when he will be 70.
Former head of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency Graeme Pearson called for legislation to be beefed up, with more powers given to investigators.
The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 was introduced to help authorit ies seize assets which have been acquired in connection with criminal activity. Pearson said: “The law has had impact when dealing with organised crime – but it’s long overdue for a proper review.
“There have been occasions when it has been very successful. There is a number of occasions when it’s been disappointing in its impact. This is the time to see if some of the legislation can be sharpened up. By the time the authorities get their act together, criminals l ike Snowden have already made a start in getting rid of the assets.”
After his conviction in July 2013, we revealed Snowden paid for a lavish three-day £ 30,000 wedding at luxury Airth Castle, near Falkirk, for him and his bride Gillian. He forked out for
He ran a health and fitness business in Helensburgh. Snowden was also an associate of gangland enforcer Nello Orsi, who ran an extortion racket in Glasgow nightclubs.
The fire attack took place while Snowden was holidaying in Mexico. He ordered his accomplice Robert Jennings to pour petrol through the letterbox of the Sharkey family as they slept and set it alight.
Sharkey’s wife Angela survived the blaze.
Brian McConnachie QC, Scotland’s former Principal Advocate Depute, said: “There is always inevitably going to be two f igures, one being the amount made from criminal enterprises and the other being the recoverable amount.
“It is not uncommon for these figures to be vastly different.
“The di f f iculty for the prosecution is people involved in serious crime are often quite good at hiding their money.”
The Scottish Conservatives’ Oliver Mundel l said: “It’s becoming increasingly clear that the Scottish Government are incapable of ensuring this law can work effectively.”
The Crown Office said: “The Confiscation Order imposed by the High Court on Scott Snowden has now been paid. The figure was £2602.55.”