Girlfriend of Gone in 60 Seconds thief ‘banked £118k’
THE unemployed girlfriend of a Gone
in 60 Seconds car thief is accused of helping to launder criminal profits after £118,000 was found to have gone into her bank account, a court heard.
Tessa Penalver, 25, who was receiving state benefits, allegedly funnelled Manjit Sandhu’s cash through her Nationwide account over a two-year period.
Sandhu, 32, was the “coordinator and orchestrator” at the top of the scheme that used specialist technology to target keyless Range Rovers, Mercedes and BMWS to sell on the black market, jurors heard at Southwark Crown Court.
Last year, Sandhu and his gang were jailed for a total of 46 years and four months for stealing more than 120 vehicles worth as much as £60,000 each over a 12-month period.
Their activities were reminiscent of the film Gone in 60 Seconds, a 2000 remake of a 1974 luxury car heist movie.
Penalver, who was receiving benefits, had up to £118,000 passed through her account, the court heard.
She said: “Police wanted to discover where the monies that came from his car theft operation had gone, because someone had undoubtedly benefited.
“Enquiries into Manjit Sandhu’s finances showed he had no bank accounts. His girlfriend, Tessa Penalver, did hold a bank account and police found that there were significant amounts of cash credited to the account.” Penalver is on trial with a 33-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons. Penalver, of Hornchurch, Essex, denies conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and converting criminal property.
The man, of Chadwell Heath, denies fraud by false representation, aiding an offender and perverting the course of justice. The trial continues.