Hartlepool drug dealer who accumulated more than £400,000 is order to pay back just £11,000

Michael Collins, 61, was jailed for seven years and four months at Teesside Crown Court in September.

He admitted dealing in class A, B and C drugs between 2017 and 2021 together with possessing criminal property and possession of a class B drug.

A proceeds of crime hearing on Thursday, January 19, heard the financial benefit for Collins from his crimes was £431,605.

But the amount that he has available to pay back is just £11,191.

It includes around £10,000 seized in cash by police when he was caught on separate occasions. The remainder is in a bank account.

The court was previously told that Collins, formerly of Hartlepool, supplied drugs to users at street level.

He was caught in town several times with drugs worth tens of thousands of pounds, including high purity cocaine, MDMA, amphetamine and tranquilizers.

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Collins continued dealing even after being arrested several times.

His car was described by the sentencing judge as “like a pharmacy in itself” after Collins was caught in it with around 2,000 pills in February 2021.

Collins, of Crosby Terrace, Port Clarence, also has an outstanding confiscation order made by Newcastle Crown Court after he was judged to have benefited by £64,484.

Recorder Caroline Sellars, sitting at Teesside Crown Court, made a confiscation order on Thursday for the available £11,191 and gave Collins three months to pay.

He faces another six months prison if he does not and Recorder Sellars said the money would still be payable.