Terry Adams could face more jail time

Former crime boss Terry Adams could face four more years in jail after he failed in his bid to avoid paying back £700,000 of criminal cash.

The 62-year-old was ordered to hand over £750,000 after he was jailed seven years for money laundering in 2007 following a huge investigation by police and security services.

He and wife Ruth sold their lavish family home for £1 million – £500,000 under the asking price – and it is believed Adams has paid a total of £391,437 to the authorities, including the sale of antiques and jewellery.

With interest at 8 percent per year, he still owes around £700,000, but sought to avoid paying the full amount, claiming he was penniless and what he described as ‘living like a ponce’ on handouts from family and friends.

In 2014, High Court judge Mrs Justice Nicola Davies dismissed the claims, finding he had a ‘hidden reserve’ of wealth allowing him and wife Ruth to live a ‘lavish lifestyle’.

Adams appealed the decision with his lawyer Ivan Krolick arguing it was Mrs Adams who had splashed out on five star hotels, exclusive restaurants, shopping trips and holidays with her own money.

But a panel of three judges today (Mon) rejected the appeal, finding the judge had been right in her decision.

Lord Justice Longmore said: ‘The burden of proof was on Mr Adams and the judge was entitled to point out and to rely upon the unsatisfactory nature of much of the evidence without expressly rejecting it as untruthful.

‘In the light of her consideration of all the evidence, her ultimate conclusion was that, contrary to the evidence of Mr and Mrs Adams, there was an undisclosed source of funding, that Mr Adams had not been truthful about his assets and that they had been “concealing his assets”.’

The court heard how the Adams’ spent an average of £97,000 a year in the three years up to 2012/3.

Between August 2009 and September 2013, Mrs Adams blew £14,909 on hotels, flights, restaurants and entertainment, including celebrations when her husband was released from prison and their wedding anniversary.

They paid visits to the Dorchester, the Ivy, the Royal Opera House and the Groucho Club, dining at family favourite Brown’s in Mayfair some 20 times.

Mrs Adams splashed out £3,850 at Grove Spa, paid £12,000 for dental treatment, enrolled on a £2,800 weight loss programme and bought her husband’s watch at auction for £2,700.

She also paid for trips for her and her daughter to go to China and stay at the Hilton Hotel.

Mr Krolick argued: ‘This was not luxurious living by Mr Adams. If it was luxurious, it was by Mrs Adams with her own money…She gave evidence she worked.

‘She had a limited company. She was an actress and has, I think, appeared in a West End play, or at least in the West End.’

But Lord Justice Longmore concluded: ‘Whilst it is correct that much of the evidence related to Mrs Adams rather than Mr Adams they live and work together and, as the judge found, their financial affairs are “intertwined”.’

After being released from prison in July 2012 Adams claimed he found ‘design work’ for a Hatton Garden jeweller and as a clothes designer for his wife’s online fashion company, N1 Angel.

But prosecutors branded the roles ‘bogus employment’, and said Adams was paid £1,600 a week just to make ‘crude drawings’ of jewellery designs.

An employee at N1 Angel had described Adams as a ‘design genius’, but CPS prosecutor Kennedy Talbot said the work amounted to ‘moving buttons around on coats’, telling judges the business made ‘no real money at all’.
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