East London home owner arrested and slapped with £146k fine for illegal house

A "persistent" East London planning offender has been arrested and slapped with a huge fine for an illegal house conversion which violated planning regulations.

Mr Frank Kwabena Amoah, who purchased the property on Rugby Road, Dagenham, was fined over £146,000 for "persistent violations of planning regulations" at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Mr Amoah illegally converted a residential property back into two self-contained units after purchasing it in 2018. The property's previous owner had also sub-divided the property, but after being served with an enforcement notice, reverted the property prior to its sale.

Mr Amoah claimed to have purchased the property as two separate units when planning officers discovered the illegal conversion in September 2020. He pleaded not guilty personally and on behalf of the company he had purchased the property through, Transforming Lives Company Ltd, on September 27, 2021., at Barkingside Magistrates Court.

Despite an appeal being put in, both convictions were upheld. Mr Amoah was then arrested on May 28, 2024 after he failed to appear for sentencing and a warrant was issued

He finally attended Snaresbrook Magistrates Court and was fined a nominal £50 and a Proceeds of Crime Confiscation Order in the sum of £82,386.66 was made, to be paid within three months with a sentence of 18 months in default if not paid.

Transforming Lives Company Ltd was fined £45,000. Barking and Dagenham Council was awarded costs of £19,146.

Mr Amoah was fined a total of £146,583.46.

Councillor Syed Ghani, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety said: "This case demonstrates that despite many attempts to evade justice and prolong proceedings, close co-operation between the council’s Planning Enforcement and Financial Investigations Teams will eventually ensure that justice is seen to be done, and perpetrators will not be allowed to profit from their criminal behaviour."

Got a story? Please get in touch at katherine.gray@reachplc.com

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