Doncaster money launderer jailed after arrest in Bulgaria

Robert Dimmock, 60, of Doncaster, who absconded in 2010, was arrested in Bulgaria after National Crime Agency (NCA) intelligence led the country’s authorities to his hideout.

Dimmock was known by the nickname SAS Bob, something he did nothing to dispel despite never having served in the SAS. He was convicted of money laundering in 2006, and was sentenced to three and a half years.

A confiscation order for almost £5 million (£4,929,334.40) was made at Leeds Crown Court in 2008 to recover his ill gotten gains. A warrant was then issued for his arrest after he failed to appear at an enforcement hearing in 2010.

Bulgaria’s National Police Service located Dimmock at a guest house in Dolna Banya and he was arrested on a European Arrest Warrant, and brought back to the UK in June.

He has now been jailed for an additional seven and a half years for failure to pay the confiscation order.

Robert Turner, financial investigator at the NCA, said: “We’ve pursued Dimmock for seven years, both in the UK and overseas. His £5 million absolutely needed to be removed from him as the proceeds of his crime.

“The NCA’s international relationships mean we will find those criminals who flee the UK’s shores, no matter how long it takes or how safe they believe themselves to be.”

Dimmock’s default sentence was automatically activated when he returned to the UK. The amount owed still remains payable even after he’s served his sentence.