Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

37 Director’s application for enforcement

(1) If the Director believes that the conditions set out in subsection (2) are satisfied he may make an ex parte application to the Crown Court for the issue of a summons against the defendant.

(2) The conditions are that—

(a) a confiscation order has been made;

(b) the Director has been appointed as the enforcement authority for the order;

(c) because of the defendant’s wilful refusal or culpable neglect the order is not satisfied;

(d) the order is not subject to appeal;

(e) the Director has done all that is practicable (apart from this section) to enforce the order.

(3) If it appears to the Crown Court that the conditions are satisfied it may issue a summons ordering the defendant to appear before the court at the time and place specified in the summons.

(4) If the defendant fails to appear before the Crown Court in pursuance of the summons the court may issue a warrant for his arrest.

(5) If—

(a) the defendant appears before the Crown Court in pursuance of the summons or of a warrant issued under subsection (4), and

(b) the court is satisfied that the conditions set out in subsection (2) are satisfied,

it may issue a warrant committing the defendant to prison or detention for default in payment of the amount ordered to be paid by the confiscation order.

(6) Subsection (7) applies if the amount remaining to be paid under the confiscation order when the warrant under subsection (5) is issued is less than the amount ordered to be paid.

(7) In such a case the court must substitute for the term of imprisonment or detention fixed in respect of the order under section 139(2) of the Sentencing Act such term as bears to the original term the same proportion as the amount remaining to be paid bears to the amount ordered to be paid.

(8) Subsections (9) and (10) apply if—

(a) the defendant has been committed to prison or detention in pursuance of a warrant issued under subsection (5), and

(b) a payment is made in respect of some or all of the amount remaining to be paid under the confiscation order.

(9) If the payment is for the whole amount remaining to be paid the defendant must be released unless he is in custody for another reason.

(10) If the payment is for less than that amount, the period of commitment is reduced so that it bears to the term fixed under section 139(2) of the Sentencing Act the same proportion as the amount remaining to be paid bears to the amount ordered to be paid.