POWYS COUNTY Council's Trading Standards have secured a £1.6m proceeds of crime order against teeth whitening traders who were caught out at The Royal Welsh Show

John Barry Hargreaves, his wife Jean and son Matthew Hargreaves, from Knutsford in Cheshire, were prosecuted in September 2016 for running a fraudulent business face prison if they don't pay up.

The order against the Hargreaves was made at a hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court on Thursday, May 24.

The council conducted a financial investigation into the criminal benefit that the Hargreaves family had made from their illegal teeth whitening activity, having already restrained property totalling over £2m and resulting in the proceeds of crime action.

During the proceeds of crime hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court, the court heard that the trio had made £2.5m from their criminality.

His Honour Judge Harris-Jenkins ordered Matthew Hargreaves to pay back £1,096,500 within three months.

If he fails to pay he will have to serve a seven-year prison term.

Jean Hargreaves was ordered to pay £519,940 back and John Hargreaves must pay back £995.

The pair have to pay these amounts with three months or serve a five-year jail term and a three-month jail term respectively.

The Judge also imposed a compliance order compelling Matthew Hargreaves to make regular updates to the council’s Legal Service as to the progression of the properties being sold.

Judge Harris-Jenkins commended Powys County Council’s Trading Standards for this investigation in protecting consumers from unsafe and misdescribed goods and wished to provide a commendation to the senior investigating officer Nikki Davies Wheeler and to all trading standards staff involved.

Cllr James Evans, Cabinet Member for Trading Standards, Cllr James Evans said: “We take our responsibilities to protect consumers seriously and we were protecting the public from unsafe goods which is important.”

Clive Jones, the council’s Professional Lead for Trading Standards said: “This is a huge deterrent to criminals to stop them committing serious offences – if you do continue – we will take all your assets.”