Twin brothers fraudulently used drug money to buy house

James Green made thousands of pounds dealing an estimated 70 kilograms of cannabis to friends and acquaintances he knew from the club scene over almost a 10-year period between January 2010 and June 2019.

He then transferred large sums of cash to his twin brother Paul's account.

In 2010, Paul Green then used the money to apply for a mortgage on a four-bed detached house in Berrywood Gardens, paying it off ten years quicker than the bank expected.

Both brothers, 45, were jailed in a hearing at Southampton Crown Court on Friday.

Club promoter James Green spent almost 10 years dealing cannabis to his friends and acquaintances (Image: Hampshire Police)

Police discover lockup

The court heard how in 2018, a police dog discovered a lockup where James Green, of Berrywood Gardens, had stored £341,547 in cash, which he had made through dealing cannabis.

James, who had been living in the house and paying his brother, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug, concealing criminal property and possessing a controlled drug of Class B.

He was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and transferring criminal property, namely cash.

He was arrested sometime after police discovered his lock up, and in a bid to hide his activities from officers, threw two kilos of cannabis over the garden wall.

His brother Paul Green, of Westfield Avenue, Woking, claimed that he was not aware that the money his brother was paying him was from the sale of drugs.

But he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and converting criminal property.

Solicitor Paul Green used his brother's drug money to obtain a mortgage on a house in Hedge End (Image: Hampshire Police)

'Very serious'

Speaking at their sentencing on Friday, prosecutor Nick Haggan KC said the money the court knows about is just the money which is “visible”.

Judge Peter Henry said: “I am satisfied that an immediate custodial sentence has to be imposed in this case for the both of you.

“This is a very serious offence.”

He told Paul Green: “You were hands-on with what was going on. It is clear that you did know very much more than you were prepared to admit.

“There you were as a solicitor knowing that your brother was paying all this cash into your accounts.”

James Green was jailed for six years while Paul Green received a 26-month sentence.

Allison Clare KC, mitigating for Paul Green said her client has “never found himself before any criminal court ever for anything".

“There is no indication, and the case was never put on the basis that Paul Green was himself motivated by any financial gain to himself,” she said.

She added that if jailed, his wife may lose the house they live in as they won’t be able to repay the mortgage.

Chris Henley KC, representing James added that his client feels “responsible for having ruined his brother’s life.”

He said: “His life is a bit of a shambles and now it is a very solitary anxious existence. The public does not need to be protected from James Green.”

The brotherd had no previous convictions before the case.