Loan shark jailed

Published by Kate Hughes for Wolverhampton Homes in Housing

A woman who operated as an illegal money lender for more than seven years has been sentenced to 45 months in prison following a hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Sarah-Jane Dixon, 34, whose victims included council tenants, was investigated by the England Illegal Money Lending Team, working in partnership with Wolverhampton Homes and Wolverhampton Trading Standards.

At an earlier hearing she admitted eight counts of illegal money lending in relation to the lucrative unlicensed business she ran from her home in Cannock Road, Wednesfield, which was not a council property.

Figures from loan books found at her home, although not complete, showed that loan amounts ranged from £50 to more than £30,000. Most people were paying back around double the amount borrowed. Penalty charges of up to £600 were added for late payments.

One victim had borrowed a total around £15,000 from Dixon over the years, yet paid back around four times this amount.

Mark Henderson, Director of Housing at Wolverhampton Homes, said: “Wolverhampton Homes is keen to do everything we can to put a stop to this vile trade.

“We work in partnership with other agencies to tackle loan sharks in the City and hope that this case will give confidence to other victims to come forward and report a loan shark.”

If you have any information on loan shark activity or any victims of loan sharking, please inform the England Illegal Money Lending Team on 0300 555 2222 or call the Wolverhampton Homes Money Smart Team on 01902 554828.