Luton drug dealer needs to pay £75,000 or face longer in jail

A jailed Luton drug dealer, who made thousands selling cocaine, has been ordered to pay back his ill-gotten gains or face an additional period behind bars.

Patrick Hearty, 35, originally of Woodcock Road, is currently serving a six-and-a-half year jail sentence for his part in a drugs conspiracy, following an ERSOU investigation.

Hearty, who attempted to stab two police officers in the face as they tried to arrest him, previously pleaded guilty to both conspiracy to supply cocaine and two counts of attempting to cause actual bodily harm in June 2019.

Following further enquiries by ERSOU’s Financial Investigation Team into his illegal activity, a confiscation order was made against Hearty requiring him to repay £75,630. If he does not pay the money within three months, his jail sentence will be extended by 18 months and he would still be required to repay the full amount.

Detective Inspector Rob Turner, from ERSOU, said: “Hearty is a dangerous individual who was heavily involved in an organised drugs business supplying class A drugs. Not only does he continue to face time behind bars, he’s now been stripped of the very thing that motivated him to commit the drugs offences in the first place.

“We’ll continue to maximise our use of the Proceeds of Crime Act legislation to ensure that criminals do profit from their illegal activities.”