Police seize £40,000 from grieving Wigan mum and ex-partner who killed baby daughter

Daniel Ashurst, 33, was jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of the manslaughter of 14-month-old Hollie Ashurst.

His ex-fiancee and Hollie’s mother Leanne Thompson appeared in court yesterday as police applied for the forfeiture of thousands of pounds in a bank account in her name.

Police believe some of the cash came from the supply of controlled drugs by Ashurst and cocaine was found at his home in Shevington.

However, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has not charged him with any drugs-related offences.

Specialist investigators were drafted in when police looking into Hollie’s death were alerted to the large balance in the bank account.

They found nearly £120,000 in cash was deposited in bank accounts in Ms Thompson’s name over a 30-month period.

Police say the money was transferred through accounts in an attempt to disguise the origin, a process often referred to as “layering”.

The cash was on top of benefits received by Ashurst and Ms Thompson and far exceeded their declared income to HM Revenue and Customs.

Police believe some of the money was used to pay for family holidays abroad, expensive lease cars and six months’ rent for the family home, which was paid upfront.

The application was made under part five of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), which allows criminal assets to be reclaimed through civil proceedings where a conviction has not been possible.

The hearing at Stockport Magistrates’ Court heard there was £42,400 in the bank account.

A police officer, who appeared by video-link, said the application was to seize £40,000, with the remaining £2,400 being returned to Ms Thompson.

The application was uncontested, though Ms Thompson did enter the witness box to express her dismay to the bench.

She said she was “very upset and very angry” that the money was being seized and claimed some of it belonged to her and her daughter. She also questioned why Ashurst was not being prosecuted.

Ms Thompson said: “I just feel that it’s not fair at all. £40,000 does not belong to Daniel. I know it’s going to the Home Office, but... it’s just not fair.

“For what I have just been through, it’s horrendous. To come away with £2,400 is unbelievable. I spent thousands to try to rebuild my life. I had to move house, I lost everything. I lost Hollie, I had to pay for a funeral.”

Magistrates felt that “on the balance of probabilities” the money was the proceeds of crime and should be forfeited.

After the hearing, Ms Thompson told the Post she was “devastated” that the money had been seized.

She said she had no knowledge of criminal activity by Ashurst and that he used the bank account, which was registered in her name and frozen on the day Hollie was admitted to hospital.

Ms Thompson said: “Daniel is out of my life completely. He was out of my life the day Hollie passed away but it’s gone on for 12 months and there is nothing more now.”

Financial investigator Ben Evans, from Greater Manchester’s Police economic crime section, said: “The forfeiture of funds is a key tool in combating serious acquisitive crime.

“We work diligently in conjunction with our partner agencies to deprive offenders of their criminal funds and will use every resource at our disposal to do so.”

Ashurst ran into Standish Medical Practice on February 28 last year carrying baby daughter Hollie in his arms.

She had suffered head injures and was rushed to hospital for treatment, but she died the following day.

A post-mortem examination found she had multiple injuries, including bleeding to her brain and eyes, bruising, a broken ankle and possible bite marks on her hand and leg.

Her father claimed she was injured in a series of incidents that day at the family’s home on Fleming Court, Shevington, and in his car.

But during a trial at Manchester Crown Court, the prosecution said it was actually Ashurst who inflicted the injuries that killed the tot.

He denied killing his daughter and was found not guilty of murder, but was convicted of manslaughter.

Police have investigated whether Ashurst was involved with drug dealing, but no charges were brought.

A CPS spokesman said: “The CPS reviewed a file of evidence from Greater Manchester Police relating to an allegation of possession of cocaine with intent to supply. After reviewing all the evidence the CPS has concluded that the legal test for a prosecution was not met.”

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