A DAD caught with almost £92,000 of criminal cash in his car took his two children along to a handover.

When arrested in Bolton by Revenue and Customs officers, the children were sitting on the back seat of Riyaz Atcha's Toyota Avensis with bags stuffed full of money in the footwell below their feet.

At Bolton Crown Court Atcha, of Shepley Avenue, Bolton, was spared a prison sentence after Recorder Paul Reid QC was told that the car wash worker was of previous good character, and did work in the community with young people and produced several character references, including one from Rumworth councillor Ebrahim Adia.

"He is not the kind of person who has plagued the streets of Bolton with his offending," said Ben Morris, defending.

"He works with young people in the community to try and stop them getting involved in crime."

Atcha, aged 28, and Zaheer Ahmed, aged 32, of Renishaw Avenue, Rotherham, both pleaded guilty to money laundering offences but refused to reveal the source of the cash.

The court heard how Revenue and Customs officers involved in an operation spotted a BMW, driven by Zaheer Ahmed, parking up in Peace Street, Bolton, at 3.30pm on May 13 last year.

Brian McKenna, prosecuting, told how, 10 minutes later, a Toyota Avensis, driven by Atcha, pulled up behind the vehicle.

Atcha’s two children were in the rear passenger seats.

Ahmed got out of his car, took a JD Sports bag from the boot of the vehicle and climbed into the front passenger seat of the Avensis.

Officers observing them then arrested both men on suspicion of money laundering.

A total of £11,700 was found in the JD Sports bag in the front passenger well and officers recovered a further £80,230 stashed in bags in the rear passenger footwell below where the children were sitting

Ahmed had met Atcha with a view to collecting £15,000 from him, knowing it represented the proceeds of crime.

A mobile phone found on Atcha contained a photograph of a £20 and a serial number, which the prosecution allege was a means of the two men establishing contact.

Both men made no comment when arrested, but Atcha then claimed he did not know how much money was in his car and he did not know or suspect that it was the proceeds of crime.

The mobile phone found on Atcha also contained text messages to a person named Marky Mark from an individual called Smart mentioning cash sums and directing delivery arrangements.

Mr Morris said Atcha, a father-of three, has a degree in biomedical science and had ambitions to become a teacher but circumstances meant he had to earn a living at a car wash.

Mr Morris appealed to the judge not to jail Atcha, adding: "There's a school of thought that everyone deserves a chance in life."

Upkar Bahia, defending Ahmed, said he ran a small business sourcing raw materials, but was owed £15,000 and he agreed to the "unorthodox" method of payment, driving to Bolton to collect the cash.

"Quite foolishly he accepted this course of action," said Mr Bahia.

"The offer was put to him to collect the money in this manner. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. He accepts that he knew that things were not right. He knows that he made a mistake and that he turned a blind eye."

Sentencing Atcha to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years plus 275 hours unpaid work, Recorder Reid told him: "You were offered the opportunity of making easy money and the temptation was too great."

Ahmed, who was also of previous good character, was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years and must complete 160 hours unpaid work

Richard Wentel, assistant director, of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs Fraud Investigation Service, welcomed the convictions.

He said: “These two were caught with bags full of cash and could offer no explanation at all for where it came from. They even brought children along to make their meeting look less conspicuous.

“Attempts to launder criminal cash are treated very seriously by HMRC. Crime doesn’t pay and we will relentlessly pursue anyone believed to be involved in money laundering to deprive criminals of their profits.

“I would urge anyone who has information about this type of activity or witnesses suspicious large cash transactions to call the 24-hour Hotline on 0800 59 5000.”