A dad who was jailed after killing his own baby has had £40,000 confiscated from an account with his ex-partner.
Daniel Ashurst was handed a 12-year sentence in February for the manslaughter of 14-month-old Hollie.
After Ashurst was arrested in February last year, investigators found a total of nearly £120,000 in cash had been deposited into accounts held in the name of his ex-partner, Leanne Thompson, over a 30-month period.
Prosecutors believe that some of the cash came from drug deals organised by Ashurst, reports the MEN.
The money was taken from the account of Ms Thompson who appeared at Manchester Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
Both Ashurst and Ms Thompson had signed disclaimers to the money held in the account, police said.
They added that the funds were then transferred through other accounts in an attempt to disguise their origin, a process often referred to as “layering”.
This amount was on top of the benefits claimed for by Ashurst and Ms Thompson and far exceeded their declared income for tax purposes.
Investigators believe some of the cash was used to fund numerous family holidays, lease expensive cars and pay for the rent of the family home in Shevington, Wigan, six months upfront.
Courts have the power to seize cash thought to have been generated through illegal means under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Financial Investigator Ben Evans, from the Economic Crime Section, Greater Manchester Police 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 had not been charged with any drug-related offences but a quantity of cocaine was found in his home when he was initially arrested.
