Member

The amendment would insert a new systemic mechanism into the Proceeds of Crime Act: the judicial trigger. When the Crown Court makes a confiscation order under Section 6 of the POCA, the judge would be granted a new discretionary power to issue a public purpose direction. In deciding whether to make this direction, the court must look beyond simple numbers and consider the gravity and context of the crime. Specifically, the court would consider whether the conduct involves serious human rights violations, mass atrocity crimes or grand corruption.