HMRC investigators swoop on this Stoke-on-Trent builder at M6 services - and find £60k in his bag

Builder Ian Wright-Bevans was stopped at a motorway service station - with a bag containing £60,000.

Officers from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) watched the 54-year-old park up at the M6 services in a BMW.

They then saw him get into a Mercedes with an empty bag - and emerge minutes later with a full bag.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard officers stopped his car as he went to drive away and discovered the stash of cash.

Prosecutor Peter McCartney said: "At about 7.45pm on February 2, 2017, HMRC officers were making observations at Lymm service station on the M6.

"The defendant was seen to walk from the service station to a BMW. Within six minutes a Mercedes parked up next to it. The defendant got out of the BMW and got into the Mercedes. He was carrying an empty bag. The driver of the Mercedes pulled a holdall from the rear seat. Within four minutes of getting into the vehicle, the defendant exited it. When he got out the bag, which had been empty, was seen to be full.

"Officers stopped the BMW nearby, identified themselves and asked what was in the bag. He replied, 'cash'."

Wright-Bevans, of Bryant Road, Abbey Hulton, has pleaded guilty to acquiring criminal property. The court heard he has a previous conviction for money laundering dating back to 2006. He was caught at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel driving a car which had been stolen in a burglary as he attempted to drive it to Paris.

William Beardmore, mitigating, said: "He is a man motivated by money - that has been his weakness."

Judge David Fletcher handed Wright-Bevans a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, with a rehabilitation activity requirement.

Judge Fletcher said: "You took the very foolish decision to agree to do this. You were fortunate you were stopped pretty quickly and there were no further actions on your part to make this offending behaviour worse."

Wright-Bevans must complete 80 hours unpaid work and pay £2,000 court costs.

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