Fareham Fraudster Has £300k Confiscated

A convicted fraudster from Titchfield, Fareham has had more than £300,000 confiscated through the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Hampshire Constabulary’s Financial Investigation Unit worked to secure the successful confiscation of gains made by Peter Swatton who in April 2011 was jailed for five years for obtaining by deception.

On Friday, March 9 during a hearing at Harrow Crown Court HHJ White granted the confiscation of £312,398.73 from Swatton of which £53,924 is to be paid in compensation to 17 victims of the offenders scam.

Before his arrest in 2009 the 55-year-old had run a six year scam promising customers sought after private number plates for payments of between £2,000 and £7,000 and then never sending on the goods and pocketing the money.

The confiscation order will be covered by the repossession of Swatton’s property in Fontley Lane, Titchfield, Fareham which has already been sold.

DS Lee Macarthur said,

“Hampshire Constabulary is committed to using the Proceeds of Crime Act to strip criminals of the assets they have gained through their criminal behaviour. 

"If you have benefitted from committing crime, you should not expect to enjoy your ill-gotten gains while law abiding members of the community may not be able to afford such luxuries.”

Swatton ran an online retail scam through a website called Cherished Marks where he would promote that he can provide sought-after private number plates

Swatton was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court where HHJ White resided in 2011. HHJ White has subsequently moved and as a result the confiscation hearing was conducted at Harrow Crown Court