A drug dealer who made £185,000 from selling narcotics has been ordered to repay just £8,000 of his illicit gains.
Paul Hogarth, 49, was caught red-handed by police after attempting to jump from an upstairs window and flush drugs down a sink during a police raid at his home in Gateshead, Newcastle.
A court heard he had been running a lucrative street-level dealing operation, assisted by “runner” Natalie Garrett.
Despite claiming benefits and having no formal employment, more than £80,000 was paid into his bank account over a two-year period.
During the raid in January 2023, officers discovered drugs, cash and weapons at the property.
Hogarth was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court earlier this year and has since returned for proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The court heard he had benefitted from his criminal activism to the tune of £185,268.07.
He has now been ordered to repay his available assets of £8,259.20 – made up of money already seized and held by police.
Paul Hogarth has been jailed for seven years
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NORTHUMBRIA POLICE
During his sentencing hearing in January, prosecutor Jane Foley told the court Hogarth ran a street-level drug supply operation between January 2021 and January 2023, assisted by Garrett, described as a trusted distributor.
She said Hogarth was caught in the act when police executed a search warrant at his home in January 2023.
Ms Foley said: “He tried to jump out of an upstairs window with a black bag, and he was trying to forcibly flush drugs down the sink.”
Officers forced entry into the property in Wrekenton, Gateshead, uncovering cocaine and heroin worth up to £2,000, alongside £7,000 in cash and several weapons.
Paul Hogarth was sentenced in Newcastle Crown Court earlier this year
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Financial investigations revealed more than £10,000 had been transferred from Garrett to Hogarth over a two-month period.
Over the course of the offending, which spanned roughly two years, around £83,000 had been deposited into Hogarth’s bank account.
Of that figure, £32,000 was traced to benefit payments, while the remainder was described in court as “unexplained” income.
Both Hogarth and Garrett admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Hogarth further admitted possessing cocaine and heroin with intent to supply, possessing criminal property and possessing a knuckle duster in private.
Garrett also pleaded guilty to separate offences, including dangerous driving after being caught travelling at 86mph in a 30mph zone, driving while disqualified and drug driving.
Hogarth, 49, of Waldridge Gardens, Gateshead, who has 20 previous convictions, was jailed for seven years.
Garrett, 34, of Waterloo Street, Newcastle, who has two previous driving-related convictions, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and banned from driving for three years.
Recorder Mark McKone told the pair: “Class A drugs destroy lives, they cause incredible misery, as you both know.
“Those who trade in Class A drugs must expect long prison sentences.”
Representing Hogarth, Chris Knox told the court his client had a drug problem and described the operation as “small-scale”.
The court also heard Garrett had not personally received a significant sum of money, beyond the drugs she was given as part of her role.