Ex-England footballer and criminal gang member is ordered to pay back £69,747.70 for supplying drugs
A former England U19 footballer has been ordered to pay back £69,747.70 in confiscation after being convicted of supplying cannabis and money laundering offences as part of an organised criminal gang. In separate proceedings, her father Michael Dunn was found to have benefitted by £50,563.53, but he had no assets. If he obtains assets in future, CPS can pursue him for the full amount.
Faye Dunn, 39, was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months imprisonment, and her father Michael Dunn to suspended sentence, 2 years suspended for 2 years, on 6 September 2022 at Liverpool Crown Court.
The police investigation and prosecution review revealed that ‘EncroChat’ messages showed that Dunn was a significant player in the production and supply of cannabis and facilitated meetings between criminal associates in relation to their illegal drugs trade. Dunn laundered £654,800 from monies coming in from this drugs trade.
On 8 June 2023 the CPS secured a Confiscation Order for £69,747.70 against Faye Dunn after the Judge determined that her total criminal benefit was £152,953.96 and that she had £69,747.70 in available assets to pay her order.
Helen Hughes of the CPS said: “Faye Dunn, and her father Michael Dunn, were key players in this illegal drug operation, which involved the supply of at least 24kg of cannabis. Industrial scale cannabis cultivation is widely linked to a variety of criminal gang activities, street violence, and exploitation of the young and vulnerable. Faye Dunn appeared to be the accountant for an organised criminal enterprise and concealed not only her EncroChat device, but also large amounts of cash when travelling abroad, to evade detection by the authorities.”
“Where criminals fail to pay the orders made against them, the CPS will robustly pursue them for the money they owe, asking that default prison sentences are imposed where necessary.”
“In the last five years (2018 to 2023) over £480 million has been recovered from CPS obtained Confiscation Orders, ensuring that thousands of convicted criminals cannot profit from their offending. £105m of that amount has been returned to victims of crime, by way of compensation.”
Notes to editors
- Helen Hughes is the Unit Head of Pre-Enforcement North and Wales in the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division
- The CPS Proceeds of Crime Division is part of the CPS Serious Economic Organised Crime and International Directorate (SEOCID)
- Faye Dunn was sentenced in September 2022 for two counts of conspiracy to supply of cannabis and money laundering. She was sentenced to a total of three years and nine months imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court
- The default period of imprisonment was set at 8 months should she fail to pay within 3 months
Where a defendant refuses to pay their Confiscation Order within the period permitted by the Court, CPS Proceeds of Crime Division can invite the court to impose the default sentence. The full debt owed continues to be recoverable until it is paid, even if the default period of imprisonment is imposed. Interest at a rate of 8% a year accrues on the Confiscation Order amount after the period allowed for payment expires - CPS Mersey Cheshire issued previously a press release on this case