A 'Breaking Bad' police officer jailed for heading up a drugs conspiracy while serving in the force was back in the dock for selling dodgy TV boxes in order to fund his 'lavish' lifestyle.
Ex- PC Daniel Aimson, 39, ran a 'sophisticated' operation selling ZGemma boxes online, many loaded with software which allowed people to access subscription channels such as Sky Sports and BT Sport and the latest films and TV without paying the normal fees.
His operation raked in £655,000 over just 13 months, a court heard, and he used the profits to pay for luxury breaks and dinners costing hundreds of pounds at Michelin starred restaurants with wife Rachel, who he has since split from.
The Wigan man, who was fired from Greater Manchester Police, had a year added to his sentence at Manchester Crown Court yesterday, after a judge said he had deprived companies like Sky of legitimate custom.
Aimson, of Ullswater Road, Astley, Wigan was jailed for six years and four months on December 19, 2017 for conspiracy to produce cannabis and misconduct in a public office, the MEN reports.
Prosecutors in that case said he "revelled in his double life as officer and criminal."
A court heard he was even seen wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the name Heisenberg, alter-ego of murderous villain Walter White from the hit US TV show Breaking Bad - about a chemistry teacher turned drugs kingpin.
Whilst being interviewed by police investigating that matter, he was asked what he was doing for work other outside of the force and told officers he had been selling the TV set top boxes.
Prosecutor Alex Langhorn said yesterday in the ensuring months he continued to sell them across a number of online platforms including from a dedicated website and on Ebay, Amazon, Twitter, Linkedin and others Mr Langhorn added.
Aimson formed the company, AIMSN Ltd, initially in the sole name of his wife, but connected to a bank account that he then became a signatory of, breaching a court order in place at the time effectively freezing his assets.
This was an "attempt to distance himself from the funds that were passing through the account" the prosecution said.
Payments were also made directly into the businesses' bank account and into a paypal account belonging to his is co-defendant Martyn Foster.
Foster, 39, of Stott Wharf, Leigh has also admitted conspiracy to defraud and he will be sentenced for his role later this month.
Mr Langhorn said it was clear that "Mr Aimson was the director and controller and Mr Foster the packer and sender."
In total the company received £655,332 from June 2016 to August 2017, the court was told.
Mr Langhorn said: "He made many purchases during this time it is clear, the prosecution say, he was living a lavish lifestyle funded by the sale of these devices."
Amongst the spending was a meal at the two Michelin starred restaurant at The Dorchester hotel in London and a gourmet break at Northcote Manor in Lancashire, which also contains a Michelin starred restaurant, with then wife Rachel.
Mrs Aimson, 30, of Leigh, was also charged with being concerned in the the acquisition, retention, use or control of criminal property as part of the case.
However she denied this and the case was later ordered to lie on the file.
Daniel Aimson's barrister said he had previously offered to "assist" the prosecution in their case against her.
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The Federation against Copyright Theft (FACT) carried out an investigation into the TV box racket alongside police, and made a test purchase, after they were alerted by Barclaycard who eventually stopped the card payment service on the operation's website, the court heard.
They said in a statement read out in court that fraud such as this devalues deals such as the one signed by the Premier League with its broadcasters and as such denies the exchequer of vital funds.
The boxes can be used for legitimate purposes and it is not clear how many of those sold by Aimson had the illegal software on them the court was told.
Saul Brody, defending, said: "The fact he was a serving police officer at the time was taken into account in a big way when he was sentenced in December 2017.
"It would be unfair to that into account a second time.
"He has lost his employment, he has lost his liberty, his good character, his reputation and his marriage."
Mr Brody added his client's time in custody had been particularly difficult given the restrictions as a result of the current pandemic and that it was "common knowledge" amongst fellow inmates that he was once a police officer.
Aimson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud at an earlier hearing.
Judge Elizabeth Nicholls sentenced him to a year in prison to run consecutively to his current term of which he will serve half, meaning in practice he will serve an additional six months.
At Aimson's sentencing for the drugs case it was said he was head of a conspiracy which flooded the streets of Manchester and north wales with cannabis and was on sick leave at the time of his offending.
Cannabis plants worth £84,000 were found at two farms at a commercial premises in Leigh and at a newsagents.
He lost his job at Greater Manchester Police in 2017 after admitting his role in the conspiracy.
