A woman has been ordered to repay £83,000 of her ill-gotten gains.

Sheed Raj, 33, of Highfield Terrace, near Ripponden, had previously admitted to fraudulently obtaining three houses and money laundering and was sentenced to 19 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Now she has been was ordered to repay a total of £83,552.86 or go to prison for the 19 months at a Proceeds of Crime Confiscation Order (POCA) confiscation hearing at Bradford Crown Court.

Investigating Officer, Det Inspr Gary Stephenson said: “We very much welcome this significant confiscation which shows that we will continue to pursue those who benefit from their criminal activities, even after the judge has passed sentence.

“Raj now needs to find this money quickly or go to prison. The money can then be put back into community initiatives and policing projects aimed at improving the quality of life for Calderdale’s communities.”

In the past year the Calderdale POCA team has confiscated a total of £620,664 which Insp Stephenson described as a “fantastic testament to their hard work and dogged determination.”

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson said: “Once again we have seen a substantial sum of money ordered to be repaid under POCA following the excellent work of West Yorkshire Police and prosecutors.

“I am, however; campaigning to see all this money returned to West Yorkshire, as half is currently recouped centrally by Government.

“If we retain all these criminal assets, it could double the cash available through The Safer Communities Fund which benefits local charities, community groups and organisations in the county.”

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