A WOMAN from Chard has been told that crime does not pay after being sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of possession with intent to supply.

Sharon Hartley, who was jailed in October for drug dealing offences, has been ordered by the court to pay £45,000 within the next three months.

At the Proceeds of Crime Hearing held this week at Taunton Crown Court, she was found to have benefited from criminal activity to the sum of £45,000.

As a result a Confiscation Order was made for the £45,000 with an additional sum £4,200 to be paid to cover prosecution costs.

Confiscation orders force criminals to sell assets such as houses and cars to repay the order.

Hartley, who is currently in prison, has three months to pay the money or face a further default sentence of an additional 12 months in prison.

Under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) once an offender has been convicted, police and the courts can investigate their finances and find out how much the offender has acquired through their criminal activity – wealth and assets they cannot account for from legitimate sources.

The courts then impose an order forcing the offender to pay the sum within a certain period of time using any property, finance or assets they hold.

The money seized can go towards compensating victims or to central government, the police, CPS and the courts.

Through the Community Payback scheme some of the money can also be used by local communities.

T/Chief Inspector Tim Coombe said: "These orders should send out a clear warning to criminals that crime does not pay and that we will continue to ensure that those who have benefited from their criminal conduct will have it stripped away from them.”