Legal News

Earlier this year Tariq Zaman, 42, of Hollin Mount, was given a 46 week suspended jail term and 150 hours of unpaid work after he pleaded guilty for 18 offences of theft which he committed over a period of eight years.

He had been stealing student tenant deposits over eight year period which the court has ordered to confiscate under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

He was present at the Leeds Crown Court for a confiscation hearing where the court had heard that he had benefitted £48,600 from his criminal conduct.

He was ordered to pay more than £36,000 in compensation to the victims he ripped off or serve 12 months of jail sentence.
Alisdair Campbell, prosecuting, said Zaman had assets worth £36,960, from two bank accounts he held and the sale of his van.
Judge Scott Wolstenholme ordered Zaman to pay the amount within 14 days or face 12 months in jail. The money would be used to compensate dozens of his victims.
The court had earlier heard that he was involved in withholding money from students without legal basis. Police said the offences only represented a “wider picture” of his behaviour.
The offences related to nine properties, mainly in the Headingley, Kirkstall and Burley areas, which were owned by members of Zaman’s family.
Students rented properties for the academic year but on completion of the tenancy Zaman refused to return deposits to the victims.
Sums ranged between £200 and £300 and the total figure in relation to the offences was around £5,000. Several students obtained county court judgments against Zaman but he still failed to return the money and police became involved.
After his sentencing, Det Con Jo Hind, of the Leeds District Proceeds of Crime Act Team, said the 18 offences he had pleaded guilty to were spread over a period of eight years but had a wider ramifications.
His practice of keeping deposits without any legal basis was on such a scale that the Leeds University Student Advice Centre took on extra staff to deal with the number of complaints about him.