Section 1: Determination of extent of defendant’s interest in property
16.This section, together with sections 2 to 4, amends the provisions in Part 2 of POCA in respect of third party interests in assets that may be realised to discharge a confiscation order. Under Part 2 of POCA a confiscation order is made against the defendant for a particular amount, and not against any particular assets held by the defendant, although the court may take into account property held by the defendant when determining the amount of the confiscation order. It is open to the defendant to pay off the order out of whatever assets he or she has available. As such, Part 2 of POCA makes no express provision for the court to deal with any third party interests in any of the property which the court takes account of when determining the amount of a confiscation order.
17.Part 2 of POCA does however make provision for third parties to make representations where they have been affected by the exercise of powers under that Part -- in particular, when they have been affected by a restraint order made under section 41 of POCA, or an order for the further detention of property under section 47M of POCA (the latter section is not yet in force).
18.Third parties also have the right to make representations under Part 2 of POCA when an enforcement receiver is appointed by the Crown Court under section 50 of the Act to enforce an unpaid confiscation order. The court must give anyone with an interest in the realisable property of the defendant a reasonable opportunity to make representations before the receiver may exercise their powers under section 51(2) of POCA to manage, deal or realise that property, or under section 51(6) to order the third party to make a payment to the receiver in respect of the defendant’s beneficial interest in the property.
19.In general, it is most appropriate for third party interests to be dealt with substantively at the enforcement stage of a confiscation order given that the existence of such interests only crystallises against specific property at that stage. However, in some cases waiting until enforcement to determine the extent of a third party’s interest in the defendant’s property can complicate, lengthen and otherwise frustrate the confiscation process. Sections 1 to 4 seek to give effect to the commitment in the Serious and Organised Crime Strategy to strengthen POCA by “ensuring that criminal assets cannot be hidden with spouses, associates or other third parties”.
20.This section inserts a new section 10A into POCA to confer on the Crown Court, when making a confiscation order, a power to make a determination as to the extent of the defendant’s interest in particular property (new section 10A(1) and (5)). Given that a consequence of making such a determination will be to determine the extent, if any, of any third party interest in the property, new section 10A(2) affords third parties who have, or may have, an interest in the property the right to make representations to the court about the extent of their interest. The right to make representations also extends to the defendant. Subject to two exceptions, any determination as to the extent of the defendant’s interest in particular property is binding on any court or other person involved in the enforcement of the confiscation order (new section 10A(3)). The exceptions are where it is open to a court which has appointed an enforcement receiver to hear representations (see section 4) or in proceedings before the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court (new section 10A(4)).
21.It is envisaged that the Crown Court would only make such determinations in relatively straightforward cases, that is where the court considers that it can, without too much difficulty, determine the defendant’s interest in particular property. In deciding whether to make a determination in any particular case, it is expected that judges will exercise this power to determine the defendant’s interest in property only in those cases where their experience (including in respect of matters as regards to property law), the nature of the property, and the likely number and/or complexity of any third party interests allows them to do so.
