Corrupt businessman must pay back only a tenth of the £962,697 illicit profits

A Corrupt businessman must pay back only a tenth of the £962,697 illicit profits he made from his criminal activities involving Ilkeston Co-op.

A court heard yesterday that 33-year-old Justin Mooney had assets of £95,411 - including a £3,000 Rolex watch.

Judge John Burgess ordered these to be paid to Midlands Co-op, which has absorbed the Ilkeston society.

Sitting at Nottingham Crown Court, the judge said Mooney had made £962,697 from criminal activities, which involved corrupt mobile phone deals.

Much of the hearing was taken by legal argument over a house in Carrfield Avenue, Toton, which Mooney had planned to buy and live in with his girlfriend.

His mother, Susan Mooney, said she bought the house when the Co-op gained a "freezing order" over his bank accounts after it began to suspect problems.

The judge, who presided at Mooney's trial, said he found him to be someone who "lies easily and lies often".

"My difficulty has been keeping in mind the real possibility that occasionally he may be telling the truth," the judge said.

Mrs Mooney said she charged rent to her son because she was the house owner.

The judge said: "The prosecution case has always been that this was a fiction and that the true owner of the house was and is the defendant."

And he felt there was "compelling" evidence to support that view.

The judge said that £55,709 from the sale of the house - Mrs Mooney said it was later sold for £185,000 - should be included in the cash to be handed over.

Mrs Mooney said she was buying property in Spain and also a flat which is to be built in Sandiacre.