Career Criminal’s Family Convicted of Laundering the Proceeds of his Crimes.

Peter Anderson, 30, a career criminal and convicted bank robber who was jailed for an indeterminate period for the public’s protection in 2007, has now been convicted along with his girlfriend Danielle Bardsley, 29, for money laundering and benefit fraud.

Before he was arrested for the robbery at the Lloyds TSB in Ashton-on-Ribble near Preston, he and Danielle Bardsley lived an affluent lifestyle. They had a luxuriously furnished house in Abram near Wigan and the use of a number of top of the range motor vehicles. Further investigation revealed they had spent thousands over the years on lavish holidays.

It was Anderson’s arrest in relation to the Lloyds TSB robbery that sparked the money laundering investigation. Whilst Anderson languished in prison he and his families’ finances were being investigated. Danielle Bardsley was arrested at the home they shared. A search of the property revealed top of the range televisions and sound systems, motor bikes, quad bikes and wardrobes full of designer clothing. Hidden on top of a wardrobe was £28,000 in cash.

During proceedings Anderson pleaded guilty at a hearing at Manchester Crown Court to money laundering and falsely claiming £14,000 in benefits. He was jailed for three and a half years to be served concurrently to his current sentence.

Danielle Bardsley, now of Barrow Street, Salford, pleaded guilty to money laundering and falsely claiming around £30,000 in benefits.  Bardsley was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment which was suspended for two years, given a supervision order for two years and ordered to do 250 hours’ unpaid work. 

Judge Anthony Gee told her that he had only considered suspending the jail term because of concerns for the couple’s two sons.

Other family members were also found to be involved. Bardsley’s mother Karen Bardsley of Barrow Street, Salford, and Anderson’s sister, Claire Anderson of Murray Street, Higher Broughton, both pleaded guilty to money laundering.

Karen Bardsley was found to have moved £10,000 of Anderson’s criminal money through her bank account and was rewarded with a holiday to Cancun, Mexico.

She was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 120 hours’ unpaid work. 

Claire Anderson opened a bank account in her name in order that her brother could deposit his criminal gains and hide them from the authorities. From that account she paid the £16,000 deposit, mortgage and bills for the Abram address. She was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 180 hours’ unpaid work.

Detective Inspector Glen Jones, of GMP’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “This is a satisfying end to a long and complex investigation into Peter Anderson and his family. The fact that Greater Manchester Police will pursue criminals and the people close to them who have benefited from their criminality should send a strong deterrent message to others that it is not worth taking the risk to commit armed robberies. We are committed to pursuing criminals and their families for cash obtained through crime even when they are behind bars for the original offence.”

Staff at the North West Regional Asset Recovery Team were responsible for the confiscation proceedings and has identified assets of over £70,000 thereby clearing the family of their wealth and returning some of the criminal proceeds to the public purse.