Winners of the Keith Hughes Awards Announced
Tuesday, 28 February, 2012
The foremost innovators in financial investigation and prosecution came together on 27 February for the seventh annual Keith Hughes Awards.
The awards ceremony, held at the Payback Regional Asset Recovery Teams (RART) national best practice event in Stratford-upon-Avon, recognised the achievements of those who have made an outstanding contribution in the field of financial investigation to fight crime.
Nominations from a wide range of government departments and law enforcement agencies were submitted for the awards, with 2011 also seeing the launch of a new Prosecutors Award category to take into account the hard work and determination of people in this field.
The winners and runners-up of the Keith Hughes Awards 2011 are:
Financial Investigation Individual Award Winner
• Joanne Bramley - North Yorkshire County Council Trading Standards Services
Financial Investigation Individual Award Runners-Up
• Teresa Bentley - North Yorkshire Police
• Renata Coutts - South East RART
Financial Investigation Team Award Winner
• Eastern Caribbean Financial Investigation Advisory Team - Department for International Development
Financial Investigation Team Award Runners-Up
• Civil Recovery and Tax London - Serious Organised Crime Agency
• Special Intelligence Section Financial Investigation Unit - Metropolitan Police Service
Proceeds of Crime Act Prosecutor Award Winner
• David Mattan - Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), North East RART
Proceeds of Crime Act Prosecutor Award Runners-Up
• Tony Baker - CPS, West Midlands RART
• Naomi Matthews - Nottingham City Council
Steve Wilkinson, from the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) - the body responsible for the accreditation of financial investigators in the UK (with the exception of Scotland) - hosted the ceremony while Megan and Leah Hughes, daughters of Keith Hughes, presented nominees with their awards. Attendees consisted of delegates from the nine RARTs, senior law enforcement officials, and previous winners.
James Brokenshire, MP, Minister for Crime and Security, said:
"The nominations for the Keith Hughes Awards get stronger and stronger each time and this year has been no exception. It shows that law enforcement really is making an impact when it comes to taking the profit out of crime, and the hard work, determination and dedication that investigators and prosecutors are prepared to put in to get such fantastic results."
Steve Wilkinson, Training Manager, Proceeds of Crime Centre, NPIA, said:
"This has been my seventh year judging the awards and I am always impressed by the high standard of nominations we receive. Financial investigation and asset recovery have come a long way in the last few years and these awards are a fantastic way of acknowledging those involved and rewarding and recognising their achievements."
Alun Milford, Head of the Organised Crime Division, Crown Prosecution Service, said:
"We always see fine examples of partnership working and innovative thinking by law enforcement agencies at these awards and 2011's nominations were no exception. I am particularly pleased that the excellent contribution made by Proceeds of Crime Act prosecutors to the field of financial crime is also now being recognised with the introduction of a new awards category. "
