£1m gangster ordered to pay back just £1k
A GANGSTER who made more than £1million from drug and gunrunning is to pay only £1,000 following a proceeds of crime action.
Roy Dunstance, 40, benefited from crime by £1.15million as he directed an illegal trafficking operation from his base in Spain.
Police seized heroin worth almost £8million, along with other drugs and weapons, as they broke up the gang.
Sentencing Dunstance to 11 years in jail at the High Court in Edinburgh last year, Lord Burns said: ‘It is accepted you were the head of this group and that group was in the top 5 per cent of such groups.’
A European Arrest Warrant was issued for Dunstance, who surrendered in Holland in April last year.
The fugitive, who had been living in Benalmadena in Spain, admitted directing serious organised crime operations by managing others to commit drugs, firearms and proceeds of crime offences between January 1, 2013 and April 4 last year.
Following his conviction, the Crown brought an action to recover crime profits.
Defence QC John Scullion told the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday: ‘Agreement has been reached in relation to the benefit from this accused’s general criminal conduct and to the value of realisable property.’
The criminal benefit figure was £1.15million.
But Mr Scullion said a confiscation order should be made for £1,000 and asked for six months to pay.
Judge John Morris, QC, granted authority to the agreement and allowed the time to pay back the money.
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Douglas Ross said: ‘Settlements like this make a mockery of the SNP’s proceeds of crime legislation. The whole point is to make sure criminals who make money from communities are forced to pay it back.
‘But in this case the figure is absolutely pitiful – and will be of no benefit to victims of crime in communities whatsoever.’
Dunstance and his criminal associates became the target of Police Scotland’s Operation Brora, as they shifted heroin, cocaine, amphetamine and weapons.
Prosecutor Paul Brown said: ‘Dunstance is the head of the organised crime group investigated under this operation and responsible for the importation and supply of large amounts of drugs and firearms.’
He added that Dunstance was in Spain and communicated with accomplices using a BlackBerry.
Law enforcement agencies obtained the messages despite the encryption. Mr Brown said: ‘They show that Dunstance was clearly directing the entire operation at arm’s length from his Spanish home.’
His closest aide was David Hawthorne, quartermaster for drugs and guns held at ‘safe houses’ in Drumchapel, Glasgow. He was jailed for 14 years, reduced to nine on appeal.
Meanwhile, drug-dealer Barry Letham was ordered to pay £55,000 under proceeds of crime legislation at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday.
Letham, 35, was jailed for six years and three months at the High Court in Glasgow in November 2015.
Prosecution lawyer Barry Divers told judge John Morris, QC, that the Crown and Letham’s legal team had agreed he would pay £55,000.
Judge Morris agreed and gave him six months to pay.