Court fight over cash

Lancashire police insist that the money belongs to suspected drug dealer Amjad Khan, of Arley Gardens.

But lawyers representing Mr Khan's teenage sister Nazma Begum, say that the money, found in her bedroom during a police search, is actually hers.

Last October Burnley magistrates agreed that the £4,169 recovered from Arley Gardens should be forfeited, under proceeds of crime legislation.

But Ms Begum appealed against the decision and the case is being heard by Judge Pamela Badley at Burnley Crown Court.

The court heard civilian police search officers were called to Arley Gardens on March 11 last year.

Search officer Gary Lushman alerted team leader Leslie Duncan after finding a "large quantity of cash" in one of the bedrooms.

Mr Duncan said when a bed quilt was pulled back, a large number of bank notes was uncovered, as well as a cash box containing more money.

He went downstairs to speak to the family, the court heard, and asked who the bedroom, where the money was found, belonged to.

Ms Begum said it was hers, which was confirmed to Mr Duncan by one of her brothers also present.

But the court heard that, apart from £250 she said was in the red cash box, she could not account for the larger amount of cash.

The court heard Ms Begum was receiving £190 in fortnightly benefits, including incapacity benefit and disability living allowance at the time.

John Luckshaw, representing Ms Begum, said the amount of benefits received, over a year, equated almost exactly to the amount of money which had been seized.

He also questioned where evidence bags, in which the money was placed after it was seized, and showed the locations of individual money recoveries, had disappeared to.

Det Con Anthony Morris said they had been disposed of during a clear-out' of the property stores at Colne police station.

The court was told Ms Begum had learning difficulties, but lawyers did not elaborate.

(Proceeding)