The Prosecution were seeking benefits of £850,000 and based on their allegation of the Defendant’s “hidden assets” were arguing that he had realisable assets in this same amount.
Our report concluded that the benefits were no more than £200,000 and we also showed that there were unlikely to be any hidden assets. The Judge accepted the entirety of our evidence and opinion. Then, most interestingly, he enquired from the Prosecution what the minimum amount was that he could award against the Defendant.
Notwithstanding that he was advised that £5 was the minimum figure, he finally settled on the sum of £2.50. (Yes, two pounds and fifty pence!).