A COUPLE who illegally sold two insurance write-off cars have been ordered to pay more than £11,000 following a court confiscation hearing.

Ralph Brown, 58, and 56-year-old Anne Stidwell, were given eight and ten month prison sentences, respectively, in both cases suspended for two years, at Durham Crown Court, in January.

They were each also ordered to carry out 100 hours’ unpaid work and pay £1,100 in costs.

The couple, of Leasfield Drive, Meadowfield, Durham, who were of previous good character, were said to run a legitimate business buying damaged cars from insurance companies, restoring them and then selling them on, via their company website.

But they both admitted having fraudulently sold a written-off Fiat Punto, which went on to be involved in a triple fatal road accident, in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, in June 2012.

The court heard that the car’s condition played no part in that accident.

Stidwell also admitted a further similar charge, involving the sale of another written-off Punto, also in 2012.

Two months after the sentencing hearing, they were back in court today (Friday March 20) for a hearing staged under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Harry Hatfield, prosecuting, said figures relating to their “benefit” from the offences and their available assets to be retrieved, as crime proceeds, were agreed by Crown and defence counsel.

In Brown’s case it was £2,498.30 and with Stidwell it was £8,705.10.

Judge Simon Hickey ordered the confiscation of those sums from both, after being told it would then be used as compensation to the buyers of the cars.

Although the money was said to have already been handed over, Judge Hickey ordered its formal payment by April 30, or the couple would risk 45 days in prison, in default.