Secret cash for man’s Thai lover

A Sheffield scrap man who sent more than £20,000 of undeclared income to his Thai lover has appeared in court.

Michael Edwards, aged 68, was found to have sent the cash to an account in Thailand – behind his wife’s back – through a police investigation into scrap metal theft.

Police found no evidence of theft at Edwards’ scrap metal business on Stoke Street, Attercliffe, Sheffield. However, detectives found both Edwards and his son, Joel, had failed to declare tens of thousands of pounds of their income between March 2010 and April 2012.

Michael Greenhalgh, prosecuting at Sheffield Crown Court, said: “The police found Edwards senior was making fortnightly payments of £500 to someone or something in Thailand.

“It’s right to say he made a number of trips to Thailand. The offence is transferring the undeclared monies out of the UK.”

Gul Nawaz Hussain, mitigating, said: “There’s no fool like an old fool – he had been out to that country, met someone and was sending money there and was trying his best to keep that from everybody.”

Mr Greenhalgh said 38-year-old Edwards junior owned a Porsche worth tens of thousands of pounds, which was ‘inconsistent with the income he was declaring at that time’.

Edwards senior, of Marlcliffe Road, Hillsborough, admitted removing criminal property and was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

Edwards junior, of the same address, admitted converting criminal property and was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

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