Fenland man charged with laundering more than �500,000 in cash

A CAMBRIDGESHIRE man has been charged with laundering more than �500,000 in cash earned through prostitution.

Forty-year-old Jason Shelly of Gorefield near Wisbech is accused of banking huge amounts of illicit money in Wisbech banks, and inciting prostitution in the town over a five year period.

Shelly, of Honeyhill Road, has indicated not guilty pleas to all offences, and is due to be committed for trial before Cambridge Crown Court next month.

Co defendant 23-year-old Cher Pearce, of Eyebury Road, Eye, is charged with inciting prostitution in Wisbech between May 2004 and June 2009; and a third defendant, Alan Pattison, 42, of Stantonbury, Milton Keynes, is charged with inciting prostitution in Huntingdon between May 2004 and June 2009 .

Shelly faces two money laundering charges brought under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The first charge alleges that between March 31 2007 and April 1 2008 at Wisbech, he concealed, disguised, converted, transferred or removed criminal property, namely approximately �338,303 by means of cash deposits into two HSBC bank accounts controlled by himself, knowing it to be in whole or in part the proceeds of prostitution.

The second charge alleges that between March 31 2008 and April 1 2009 he concealed, disguised, converted, transferred or removed �237,660 of criminal property by means of cash deposits into two HSBC bank accounts and one Nat West Bank account controlled by himself, knowing the money was in whole or part, the proceeds of prostitution.

Shelly is accused of intentionally causing or inciting another person to become a prostitute in Wisbech between May 1 2004 and June 4 2009, for or in expectation of gain for himself.

Fenland magistrates have declined jurisdiction over the case and are due to commit all three defendants to the Crown Court on October 20.