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He was sentenced to eight years in jail in his absence and was finally arrested when Spanish police swooped on a villa in Marbella earlier this month.Priestley was the subject of a world-wide man hunt after failing to attend a Leeds Crown Court hearing in August 2005, where he faced charges of conspiracy to counterfeit £20 banknotes with a face value of £4.25m.He returned to the court yesterday to formally begin his original sentence with an appearance before the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier.On November 2, he will return to face the judge at his original trial, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC, over additional charges concerning breach of bail.
Priestley, who lived in a luxury home on Park Road, had a criminal past in counterfeiting long before 2005.In December 2002, he was stripped of more than £2.2m at Bradford Crown Court after police raids netted 138,000 bottles of fake perfumes and 1,500 bottles of Spanish sparkling wine relabelled as Moet et Chandon champagne.
In April that year, he was jailed for 18 months after admitting three counts of conspiracy to sell or distribute counterfeit goods - but was released early from jail.Priestley was arrested as part of crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers' Operation Captura, which has identified criminals living in Spain wanted in the UK. He was featured in the campaign's first top 10 appeal in October 2006.
Posted in: Operation Captura
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