Convicted property tycoon Nicholas van Hoogstraten is being threatened with the confiscation of his £160m portfolio.
Councillors in Brighton & Hove are understood to be calling for his properties to be taken over by the government in line with the new Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, which makes it mandatory for judges to order the seizure of ill-gotten gains of drug traffickers and other convicted criminals.
At the Old Bailey in July, van Hoogstraten was found guilty of the manslaughter of landlord Mohammed Raja.
If he is now accused of gaining assets as a result of a “criminal lifestyle”, van Hoogstraten will have to disclose all his private financial affairs to the police and the public in a further trial.
Currently estimated to comprise around 60 houses, various hotels and his £35m Hamilton Palace, Green Party councillors are calling for his assets to be handed over to housing associations or tenants groups.
It has been suggested by councillors that any capital raised via such a move would then be used to bring any substandard properties in line with the governments Decent Homes Standard.
Green Party housing spokesman Bill Randall, who suggested hotels could be converted into flats and used to house key workers, said: “His crimes match the worst of those committed by drug dealers. He should be treated accordingly.
“Successive governments have done very little to control the private-rented sector, while paying out an estimated £8bn during the past decade in housing benefit. Landlords like van Hoogstraten have been direct beneficiaries of this hand-out.”
The Home Office aims to raise by 2004 £60m of assets received through the Specialised Criminal Assets Recovery Agency, including houses, businesses and vehicles.
EGi News 19/08/02
