A MAN who sold stolen items through the internet has been ordered to pay a little more than £200,000 in proceeds of crime.

Thousands of pounds worth of items stolen from lorries and from an electrical goods shop were sold through an eBay account in the name of Malcolm Teasdale’s daughter.

But, Durham Crown Court heard the trade was operated by him, as were payments through PayPal accounts also in his daughter’s name, as Teasdale was banned from using eBay, himself.

When he was interviewed he claimed many of the goods recovered or sold were bought by him at auction.

By the time of his sentencing hearing, at the court in May, last year, however, he accepted, by his admissions, that he knowingly bought stolen items for sale between 2014 and 2016.

Teasdale, now 60, of Maureen Terrace, Seaham, admitted a charge of concealing, disguising or converting criminal property.

The court was told he was of previous good character and initially bought and sold goods legitimately through the internet.

But, he succumbed to selling stolen items when fires damaged stock in his storage unit, formerly known as ‘Noah’s Ark’, in Railway Terrace, Seaham, which he has since been ordered to demolish, by Durham County Council.

Jamie Adams, mitigating, told the sentencing hearing that Teasdale led a blame-free “industrious” life until the loss of stock in the fires at the unit.

Judge Jonathan Carroll imposed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, but ordered Teasdale to comply with a six-month, 7pm to 7am home curfew.

He was also ordered to attend 20 probation-run rehabilitation activity days and perform 140-hours’ unpaid work.

Proceeds of crime proceedings were then initiated to estimate the amount he benefited from his crimes and how much can be confiscated as assets.

Almost 14 months on from the sentencing hearing a proceeds of crime hearing took place at the court, yesterday.

It was agreed that Teasdale benefited from his crimes by £250,503 and the amount now available for confiscation was £200,103, by way of pension funds and bank savings.

Judge Ray Singh, therefore, formally made an order for confiscation of £200,103 from Teasdale, who has three months to pay or risk up to 30-months in custody, in default.