Betting claims launderer is jailed

Michael Standing, who ran a struggling sand-blasting business, was involved in laundering criminal proceeds amounting to more than 500,000 and was repeatedly caught with cannabis over four-and-a-half years.

The 47-year-old, of Wrose Road, Bradford, was jailed yesterday along with his 51-year-old partner Jane Noonan, who was sentenced to 30 months in prison for her involvement in some of the money-laundering matters.

Standing's claim that he made the money from betting was rejected by a jury.

The crooked couple were convicted of a series of offences following two trials.

Judge Jonathan Rose said yesterday he was satisfied they would both have benefited from the vast amount of money that was being concealed in various accounts.

He said the couple's criminal behaviour had arisen from their "greed and avarice".

Bradford Crown Court heard that although Noonan was legitimately claiming benefits for a disabled son the only other legitimate income was Standing's business.

The court was told the business was only making a declared profit of about 5,000 a year, or was even running at a loss.

Judge Rose said the only other explanation was that the money came from gambling winnings but he dismissed Standing's claims.

Standing claimed to have made 10,000 through a gambling system which Judge Rose said amounted to following the tips of the racing experts in the Sun newspaper.

Judge Rose labelled his story about making money from gambling as "nonsense".

"All of that was complete and utter nonsense and the jury quite rightly saw through you," the judge told him.

In July 2007 Standing was caught selling cannabis from his home and police also recovered fraudulent insurance cover notes.

The judge suggested they may have been another string to his criminal bow.

Four months later police found Standing in possession of cannabis and in January last year he was caught dealing in the drug again.

Judge Rose told Jane Noonan that she must have known that the vast sums of money came from a criminal enterprise.

He said she had played an important role by lending her name and character to transactions designed to hide criminal profits.

"I am satisfied that each of you would share in the benefit of criminal property whether that be the purchase of cars or the availability of cash for other as yet undetected purchases," said Judge Rose.

"But you were to all intents and purposes a married couple and that money would have been for the benefit of each of you."

The judge said money-laundering provided nourishment and encouragement to criminal conduct and he said the offences had arisen out of the couple's "greed and avarice".

He said the sentences had to be harsh to send out a message of deterrent to those involved in the drugs trade.

Standing was jailed for seven years for offences of supplying cannabis, possessing criminal property, possessing articles for fraud and for money laundering.

He received an additional 18 months in jail for the possession of cannabis with intent to supply committed in January last year.

Noonan was jailed after being found guilty of two offences of acquiring criminal property and two of transferring criminal property.