Confiscation order meaning

Under section 14 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA 2002), the court will ordinarily impose a confiscation order before passing sentence on the defendant, yet it can defer the confiscation proceedings for a defined period of up to two years from the date of conviction-see Practice Note: Postponement of confiscation proceedings. If proceedings are postponed, the court will typically direct a timetable for the exchange of material required by POCA 2002 (frequently referred to as the confiscation timetable). The outline below identifies the documents exchanged for these purposes, the point at which they are required, and key points for practitioners to bear in mind when reviewing them. Document: Required where: Commentary Information by defendant in response to an order under POCA 2002, s 18 Where the court proceeds to make a confiscation order under POCA 2002, s 6(3)(a) (the prosecutor seeks an order) or POCA 2002, s 6(3)(b) (the court considers it proper to make an order), or where the court is deciding whether to...

Appointment of Receivers The Crown Court may, on the prosecutor’s application, appoint a receiver over a defendant’s realisable property where a confiscation order remains unsatisfied and is not under appeal. The court may grant the receiver the following powers in respect of that realisable property: power to take possession of the property power to manage or otherwise deal with the property, after hearing representations from those holding it power to realise the property, in such manner as the court directs, after hearing representations from those holding it power to commence, continue or defend any legal proceedings concerning the property Where the defendant’s realisable interest in the property is in dispute, it is not required that the property be shown to be the defendant’s proven realisable property (see eg Re Smith)...

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Following a series of court decisions and influential commentary, it is now widely accepted that, under English law, cryptoassets are neither things in possession nor things in action; instead, they comprise a distinct third form of property as data objects. The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA 2002) establishes, in broad terms, two routes for the realisation of criminal proceeds: a conviction-based restraint and confiscation regime under POCA 2002, Pt 2, criminal in character and largely managed by the criminal courts under the Criminal Procedure Rules 2025 (CrimPR 2025), SI 2025/909; and a non-conviction based asset recovery regime under POCA 2002, Pt 5, operating within the civil jurisdiction. In England and Wales, at a high level, this results in: proceedings before the magistrates’ court, in its civil jurisdiction, for the freezing and forfeiture of (i) cash, (ii) high value personal property, and (iii) money in accounts held with financial institutions (FIs); and proceedings before the High Court for a...

This Practice Note explores in detail how restraint orders, confiscation proceedings and compensation orders are deployed in private prosecutions. Restraint orders in private prosecution proceedings For an overarching guide to the operation, mechanics and effect of restraint orders in general, see: Restraint and confiscation—overview. A restraint order operates to freeze property and to preserve a defendant’s assets so that they remain available to meet any confiscation order imposed following a successful prosecution and conviction. For further background, see Practice Note: Restraint orders—What is a restraint order? Applications seeking restraint orders are made in the Crown Court under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA 2002) and can be pursued before any arrest has occurred and/or before proceedings have commenced (commonly described as pre-charge restraint orders), or later within an investigation or prosecution, including post conviction. POCA 2002, s 40 identifies five circumstances in which the Crown Court may make a restraint order. For additional information, see Practice Note: Restraint orders—Conditions for the grant of a restraint order and...

This Practice Note summarises the confiscation regime set out in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA 2002), together with the changes introduced by Schedule 8 to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA 2023), insofar as it operates in Scotland. Schedule 8 amended the Proceeds of Crime Act 2022 to make provisions in connection with cryptoassets and confiscation orders. Those amendments have not yet been brought into force. Introduction to Scottish confiscation law and procedure Confiscation is the mechanism by which, after conviction, an offender’s financial gain from offending is taken away. The POCA 2002 confiscation provisions are designed to facilitate the recovery and seizure of the proceeds of crime in order to: disincentivise criminal activity, and prevent offenders from retaining the proceeds of crime following conviction This Practice Note addresses the Scottish confiscation process and procedure. For the parallel provisions in England and Wales, see the subtopic: Restraint and Confiscation. A confiscation order requires...

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE, BUSINESS AND PROPERTY COURTS OF ENGLAND AND WALES, KINGS’S BENCH DIVISION, COMMERCIAL COURT before [ The Honourable Mr Justice OR The Honourable Mrs Justice ] [ insert name of judge ] (in private session) Claim No. [ insert claim number ] between: [ insert name(s) ] as Claimant(s)/Applicant(s) and [ insert name(s) ] as Defendant(s)/Respondent(s) [ The Claimant(s) and Defendant(s) in an Intended Action ] DRAFT FREEZING ORDER PENAL NOTICE If you, [ insert name of respondent(s) ], do not comply with this order, you risk being found in contempt of court and could face imprisonment, a fine, or confiscation of assets. Anyone else with knowledge of this order who assists or allows the Respondent to contravene it may likewise be found in contempt and be imprisoned, fined, or have their assets taken. 1 THIS ORDER 1.1 By order of Mrs/Mr Justice [ ] on [ ], this Freezing Injunction is granted against [ ] (‘the...

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE BUSINESS AND PROPERTY COURTS OF ENGLAND AND WALES KING’S BENCH DIVISION COMMERCIAL COURT Before [ The Honourable Mr Justice OR The Honourable Mrs Justice ] [ insert name of judge ] (heard in private) Claim No. [ insert claim number ] Between: [ insert name(s) ] Claimant(s)/Applicant(s) and [ insert name(s) ] Claimant(s)/Respondent(s) [ The Claimant(s) and Defendant(s) in an Intended Action ] _______________________________________ DRAFT FREEZING ORDER _______________________________________ PENAL NOTICE If you [ insert name of respondent(s) ] fail to comply with this order, you could be found in contempt of court and risk imprisonment, a fine, or confiscation of assets. Any person who is aware of this order and does anything to assist or allow the Respondent to contravene it may likewise be found in contempt of court and could be imprisoned, fined, or have their assets taken by the court as a sanction. 1 THIS ORDER ...

Claim No. [ insert claim number ]. IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE — [ BUSINESS AND PROPERTY COURTS OF ENGLAND AND WALES [ Specify division ] [ Specify specialist court ]; [ Insert location ] DISTRICT REGISTRY; THE COUNTY COURT AT [ insert location ]; [ BUSINESS AND PROPERTY COURTS LIST ]. Before [ The Honourable Mr Justice OR The Honourable Mrs Justice OR His Honour Judge OR Her Honour Judge OR Master OR District Judge ] [ insert name ], dated: [ insert date ]. Between: [ insert name ] Claimant / Applicant and [ insert name ] Defendant / Respondent. [ Draft ] Order for Interim Injunction PENAL NOTICE 1 This Order either restrains you, [ insert name of defendant ], from certain conduct, or requires you, [ insert name of defendant ], to perform the steps identified below. Should you fail to obey this Order, you may be found in contempt of court and face a...