Drug dealer Alan Yeomans' seized valuables up for auction

  • Published
Shedley Manor (top), secret door (bottom left) and exteriorImage source, Derbyshire Police
Image caption,
The six-bedroom mansion was disguised on one side as a farm shed with metal cladding

Thousands of pounds worth of artwork, watches and furniture found at a drug dealer's hidden luxury house are up for sale.

Alan Yeomans had disguised his £1.2m six-bedroom mansion, Shedley Manor, as a shed to avoid planning laws.

Police described it as an "Aladdin's Cave", with items including a £25,000 Rolex watch now to be sold at auction.

The 61-year-old, from Yeaveley, in Derbyshire, was jailed in 2016 for money laundering and drugs offences.

Yeomans had told officials he was bankrupt, living in a shed at the bottom of his mother's garden and all he owned was £300 of furniture and a £30 watch.

However, when police raided the house they found designer handbags, several pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes, antique furniture and several paintings, including three large 16th Century oil paintings.

Image source, John Pye Auctions
Image caption,
The paintings were among several valuable items taken by police from Yeomans' house

Police said behind one of these oil paintings they found a secret room where Yeomans had been growing £40,000 worth of cannabis, which he had powered by stealing electricity from a nearby source.

They previously said all the items they took from the house amounted to £83,000.

The Insolvency Service carried out a seizure order to confiscate much of Yeomans' property and possessions in May.

Image caption,
Yeomans (right) pleaded guilty to a series of charges including stealing electricity and failing to disclose bankruptcy

During his trial at Derby Crown Court, Judge Nirmal Shant branded Yeomans "a liar" and a "fraudster".

He will now have to pay a confiscation order of £650,000 or face a further five-and-a-half years in prison.

Image source, John Pye Auctions
Image caption,
Police said all the items seized from Yeomans' house amounted to £83,000

Ahead of this month's sale, Trevor Palethorpe, from John Pye Auctions said: "This is a most unusual sale of a very wide variety of luxury items that could provide a bargain for art and fashion lovers.

"During his interview Yeomans declared he only owned one wristwatch which he valued at £30; the Gold Rolex Daytona in question we would estimate to make at around 350 times that figure."

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