Brothers who made millions from dealing drugs ordered to pay back just a fraction

Asa and Aidan Dobbing were jailed last year for running a cocaine dealing gang using their Aspect Garage business at Toll Bar, Ryhope, as a front.

The Dobbings were jailed for 14 years each after both were found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine.

A jury heard the brothers used couriers to bring wholesale kilo consignments of the drug to the North East for onward sale via a network of street dealers.

Following the jailing of the brothers, an inquiry was launched to determine if any of their assets could be seized as the proceeds of crime.

Prosecutor Christopher Rose told Teesside Crown Court the agreed benefit from crime for Asa Dobbing was £2.8m and the agreed benefit for Aidan Dobbing was £1.1m.

Mr Rose said it was agreed with lawyers for Aidan Dobbing that he had £15,266 in available assets.

“There is a dispute in relation to Asa Dobbing,” added Mr Rose.

“This relates to a £10,000 diamond engagement ring given to Mr Dobbing’s fiancee Jane Brook,”

Ms Brooke’s father, Leslie Brooke, told the court: “Asa told me he was going to propose to Jane and he asked for help to buy a ring and for some other things.

“I lent him £6,000, and then another £5,000 a month later.

“I like a drink and a bet, and had taken to gambling in cash so the transactions didn’t show up on the statements for the joint bank account I have with my wife.

“The most I’ve won is about £3,000 in one day, but I’ve also lost just as much.”

Under questioning from Robin Patton, representing Asa Dobbing, Mr Brooke said he was 69-years-old and had many years of well-paid work overseas in the oil and gas industry.

Jane Brooke told the court she was still engaged to Asa Dobbing.

“He proposed on January 1, 2015, when we were on a trip to New York,” she said. “Asa gave me a diamond ring.”

Judge Howard Crowson said he would be ‘most reluctant’ to find Ms Brook had accepted the ring for any reason other than any woman who had just been proposed to would accept the gift of a ring.

Mr Rose said he would withdraw the application in relation to the ring, allowing it to be returned to Ms Brook.

Asa Dobbing, 38, of Ryhope Grange Court, Ryhope, was ordered to pay £49,774 as the proceeds of crime.

The court heard the money would come partly from Asa Dobbing’s interest in the sale proceeds of a house in Seaham.

Aidan Dobbing, 33, of Ravelstone Close, Doxford Park, Sunderland, was ordered to pay £15,266 as the proceeds of crime.

The court heard the money would come partly from Aidan Dobbing’s interest in his former home in Ravelstone Close.

Kevin Dudley, 22, of Hadrian Park, Jarrow, was ruled to have benefited from crime by £865,075.

Dudley, who was earlier jailed for six years and nine months, was ordered to pay a nominal £1 after the court heard he has no realisable assets.

Also dealt with by the court was Leanne Marriner, 33, of Avonmouth Road, Farringdon, Sunderland, who was earlier jailed for five years and four months for her part in the Dobbings’ cocaine dealing gang.

Her benefit from crime was ruled to be £18,985, and her realisable assets of £1,005 were seized.

April Hunter, 23, of Little Bedford Street, North Shields, was earlier jailed for two years and eight months.

She was ordered to forfeit a nominal £1 after the court heard her benefit from crime was £7.200, but she has no assets.

The court ruled Simon Loomes, 43, of Dukes Valley, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, benefited from crime by £968,971.

Loomes, who was earlier jailed for 11 years for his part in the conspiracy, was ordered to pay £131,592.48 as the proceeds of crime.

The money will come from the sale of his house, and the sale of land in the Bahamas.