This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/8185365.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| 'Ruthless' loan shark is jailed | 'Ruthless' loan shark is jailed |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A loan shark who was branded a "ruthless individual" by a judge has been jailed for five years at Manchester Crown Court. | A loan shark who was branded a "ruthless individual" by a judge has been jailed for five years at Manchester Crown Court. |
| Multi-millionaire John Kiely, 36, of Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, was jailed for offences including blackmail and illegal money lending. | Multi-millionaire John Kiely, 36, of Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, was jailed for offences including blackmail and illegal money lending. |
| Judge Adrian Smith said he had "displayed a high degree of criminal sophistication." | Judge Adrian Smith said he had "displayed a high degree of criminal sophistication." |
| Kiely was found guilty of two counts of blackmail in July. | Kiely was found guilty of two counts of blackmail in July. |
| Secret location | Secret location |
| He charged up to 2,437% in interest on loans and used enforcers to collect debts owed by families on east Manchester housing estates. | He charged up to 2,437% in interest on loans and used enforcers to collect debts owed by families on east Manchester housing estates. |
| He was also found guilty of one count of acquiring criminal property, two counts of concealing, disguising, converting or transferring criminal property, and two counts of unlawfully failing to give notice of a change in circumstances. | He was also found guilty of one count of acquiring criminal property, two counts of concealing, disguising, converting or transferring criminal property, and two counts of unlawfully failing to give notice of a change in circumstances. |
| This wasn't a community service, it was the sort of criminal activity that we are working hard to put a stop to Tony Quigley, head of the north west Trading Standards | |
| Donna Ockerby, 45, claimed she was left fearing for her life and was forced to move to a secret location to escape him. | |
| Kiely was convicted of two counts of blackmail for his actions towards her. | Kiely was convicted of two counts of blackmail for his actions towards her. |
| During evidence, she told a jury she was forced to move house because she so frightened of the man she knew as "Johnny Boy Kiely". | |
| She borrowed £300 to pay for her wedding dress in January 2007 because she was "absolutely desperate", the jury heard | |
| Prosecutor Ben Mills said Kiely, who has a conviction for assault and comes from the travelling community, made a profit of £2.9m between October 2003 and his arrest in October last year. | |
| Tony Quigley, head of the north west Trading Standards illegal money lending team, said: "Kiely showed contempt for the people he lent money to. | |
| "This wasn't a community service, it was the sort of criminal activity that we are working hard to put a stop to. | |
| "I am pleased with the sentence as it sends a clear message that these people are not untouchable. It shows that the criminal justice system will not tolerate this type of activity" |