£187,300 CONFISCATED FROM MAN WHO EMBEZZLED FROM ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL

At Aberdeen Sheriff Court today, a Confiscation Order for £187,300 was made against Jack Downie under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).

Downie, of Inverurie, pleaded guilty on 16 February 2012 to embezzling £386,004.12 from Aberdeen City Council between 2 August 2006 and 7 September 2010. He was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment on 22 March 2012.

Lindsey Miller, Head of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Serious and Organised Crime Division, and the current POCA champion, said:

“Jack Downie embezzled hundreds of thousands of pounds from the public purse for over four years. This was a significant breach of trust where he betrayed the responsibility of his position and stole from the public he was supposed to be serving.

“We are satisfied that this £187,300 confiscation order represents the amount of money available to us at this time, on the basis that is the total value of his assets he can sell to pay the order.

“This money will be added to the £60 million already gathered from Proceeds of Crime and will be re-invested by Scottish Ministers through the CashBack for Communities programme.”