A BURGLAR has begun a fight to keep what he claims is his - even though police say it may be the proceeds of crime.

Electrician Gary Marie, 33, currently behind bars for three years, used his know-how to disable alarms.

Marie, who previously lived in Jersey, where he is said to have enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, is described by the Crown as "intelligent" and "sophisticated," with a "multiplicity" of bank accounts.

Burnley Crown Court has heard how since 1993, £103,000 had gone through his accounts and Marie has realisable assets of £44,000 - including the home in Parish Street, Padiham, where his wife still lives. More than £15,000 worth of jewellery was found in a safe at another property.

The Crown is seeking a confiscation order and Judge David Pirie will give his judgment at a later date.

Ben Jones, for the Crown, told the court that Marie, who admitted two burglaries and an attempted burglary, claimed an order would cause injustice to him.

But he said the majority of items found in a search were clearly stolen and therefore no injustice would be caused.

The house in Parish Street, had been bought for £16,000 cash and when a house on Burnley Road, Padiham, was searched £15,275 worth of jewellery was found in the safe.

Marie claimed some items belonged to his wife Joanne. In the six years before Marie's arrest, he had a lot of money and his legitimate income came nowhere near.

On his arrest, Marie had with him a "burglar's kit," and a scanner and it was "nonsense" to suggest his involvement in raids was not professionally planned. Mr Jones said the Crown alleged Marie's income was the proceeds of crime and he had many bank accounts to make it difficult to trace any assets.

Rachel Woods, for Marie, said there was no evidence the scanner was tuned into police wavelengths.

Marie had a modest house and there was no evidence of flash cars or expensive clothes or eating at expensive restaurants.

Marie, who worked, claimed benefits and did "foreigners," did have access to large sums of capital for one reason or another, such as from the sale of a BMW and money from gifts, savings and earnings in Jersey.

Marie, who had previous convictions from his time in Jersey, said some of the jewellery was his wife's.

(Proceeding)

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