rooster59 Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 Pill dealing British pensioner who fled to Thailand finally jailed Image: Supplied A London pensioner, who fled to Thailand almost five years ago to escape punishment for selling illegal tobacco and Viagra-type pills, is back behind bars after he was tracked down by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Brian Frederick Hipwood, 72, of Hanger Vale Lane, North Ealing, London, was arrested by HMRC officers at Gatwick airport on 8 July 2019, before he boarded a flight to Belfast. Hipwood was jailed in March 2013 for 15 months for excise fraud and selling unlicensed male enhancement supplements. Soon after his release from prison, in June 2014, he was arrested for identical offences but fled to Thailand before a court hearing. A warrant was issued for his arrest and a confiscation order for £600,000 was granted in his absence. He returned to the UK and was arrested as he tried to get back to Thailand via Belfast. Hipwood was jailed for five years on 16 July 2019 for failure to pay the confiscation order and today, Friday 13 December, he was given a 22-month sentence for selling the illegal tobacco and tablets. Hipwood was arrested for repeat offending in June 2014 after HMRC officers discovered more than 153,000 cigarettes, 181 kilos of hand rolling-tobacco and almost 8,000 doses of illegal Viagra-type products, at a storage unit in London. Duty had not been paid on the tobacco products. Before a hearing at Ealing Magistrates’ Court in November 2014, he fled the country. A warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest. In his absence, Hipwood was ordered to repay £600,000 made from the crimes he was jailed for in 2013, within three months, or face another five years in prison, and still owe the money, at Isleworth Crown Court on 3 June 2016. He was tracked down by HMRC and arrested at Gatwick airport in July 2019. His travel documents showed he was travelling back to Thailand, via Belfast. On 16 July 2019, at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Hipwood was sentenced to five years in prison for failing to pay the confiscation order. His debt of £585,403.28, plus interest totalling £134,766.39, remains and increases by £128.31 a day until paid. At Isleworth Crown Court today, Friday 13 December, he was sentenced to 22 months for cheating the public revenue, selling illegal medicines and absconding. The sentence will run concurrent to the five year prison sentence he is serving for non-payment of the confiscation order. -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-12-14 Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkerN Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 Perhaps it's just me but I get the impression that Thailand is a widely known refuge for criminals and scallywags. I wonder what aspects of life in Thailand make it so... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyril sneer Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 Shouldn’t have returned to UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matzzon Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 Good for him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shy coconut Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 So, these rascals escape the UK via NI and I presume The Republic. I often wondered how they jumped bail and fled so easily, it makes sense now. I have led a sheltered life if this revelation is old news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaanbiker Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 Brian Frederick Hipwood, 72, of Hanger Vale Lane, North Ealing, London, was arrested by HMRC officers at Gatwick airport on 8 July 2019, before he boarded a flight to Belfast. Sir, have you got anything to declare? May I see your passport, please? Oh, you're heading to Thailand to get some more fake Viagra? For god's sake, now. Please follow me.................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StayinThailand2much Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 1 hour ago, cyril sneer said: Shouldn’t have returned to UK But why the detour via Belfast? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobinBKK Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 Some laws I find very strange... For example in America it's illegal to sell fake illegal drugs to a drug addict. Honestly who cares if you cheat a drug addict? Maybe it will make them think twice about buying drugs again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Weird Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 11 minutes ago, BobinBKK said: Some laws I find very strange... For example in America it's illegal to sell fake illegal drugs to a drug addict. Honestly who cares if you cheat a drug addict? Maybe it will make them think twice about buying drugs again. This man wasn't selling fake anything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessy88 Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 I thought a magistrate court can't sentence more than 12 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scot123 Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 These guys are the British gestapo you do not mess with them. They have far more powers than the police. I feel sorry for the old boy who probably lost his pension due to the thieving Gordon Brown who stole the pension fund. This victimless crime he commited saving people the criminal taxes placed on tobacco by the government. Well old boy you will be taken good care of so get your dental and checkups done, relax and cost the same government hundreds of thousands taking care of you. Next time open a go fund me for "one last romp in Thailand". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cake Monster Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 2 hours ago, secondfusilier said: because he can then just hop the border into Eire unchecked and avoid British Immigration when he flies out of Dublin. Its one of the reasons why the " backstop " in the Brexit deal is so important for all sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigpoint Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 So is he going to spend a life time in prison because he can't pay the confiscation order? A victim less crime as well. Rapist, murderers child molesters, terrorists get less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew65 Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 5 minutes ago, trigpoint said: So is he going to spend a life time in prison because he can't pay the confiscation order? A victim less crime as well. Rapist, murderers child molesters, terrorists get less. Not true, a few of those kindsa people got 30 years+ recently in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyCarlton Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 1 hour ago, jessy88 said: I thought a magistrate court can't sentence more than 12 months. I thought it was 6 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew65 Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 3 hours ago, DannyCarlton said: I thought it was 6 months. The sentencing powers of magistrates' courts are therefore limited, usually to a maximum of six months' imprisonment. When dealing with two or more separate either-way offences, the maximum total custodial sentence is 12 months. However, should there be more than one summary only offence, the court's powers are limited to a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment, the nominal maximum sentencing powers of the magistrates' court. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyboy2018 Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 Its a disgrace putting such an old man in prison for such a minor offence. A curse on the revenue men! Even Jesus held them in contempt. They are just gangsters working for the government. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyboy2018 Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 8 hours ago, ParkerN said: Perhaps it's just me but I get the impression that Thailand is a widely known refuge for criminals and scallywags. I wonder what aspects of life in Thailand make it so... Why dont you come here and find out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyCarlton Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 5 minutes ago, sunnyboy2018 said: Its a disgrace putting such an old man in prison for such a minor offence. A curse on the revenue men! Even Jesus held them in contempt. They are just gangsters working for the government. 153,000 cigarettes, 181 kilos of hand rolling-tobacco and almost 8,000 doses of illegal Viagra-type products stored in a wharehouse is hardly a minor offence. Also identified as making £600,000 out of his crimes. Sounds like he was the gangster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzie Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 Poor bubba only trying save you a few quid on ciggies and backie ,and getting the old man a popcorn. 1365-N2-Nov-07-02-Court-break-3.jpg (696×522) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcB Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 On 12/14/2019 at 10:36 AM, rooster59 said: repay £600,000 made from the crimes he was jailed for in 2013, within three months, or face another five years in prison, and still owe the money 5 years in prison, and then STILL have to pay, which he cannot by having a normal job, so probably back to jail after those 5 years? On 12/14/2019 at 10:36 AM, rooster59 said: His debt of £585,403.28, plus interest totalling £134,766.39, remains and increases by £128.31 a day until paid. 128 GBP/day..on top of the 600.000 GBP Who can pay that daily? and also pay of the initial debt at the same time? That's about 1,000 GBP/month, if he'd pay for the next 60 years.... I understand why he fled abroad, it's just insane. For cigarettes? I have seen lesser punishments for far worse crimes. But hey, death and taxes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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