A crook who built a social club in his back garden could lose over £14,000 in what police claim is dirty cash.

James Blake's makeshift watering hole stocked alcohol and had a pool table and TV - while he even laid on crisps for punters to enjoy.

However, Northumbria Police raided the club in 2017, seizing fruit machines as it shut the illegal venue down.

The club was later exposed as a front for money laundering, with Blake admitting a string of offences.

Back in April, he pleaded guilty to three counts of transferring criminal property, one count of possession of criminal property and one count of abstracting electricity at his home address.

The 37-year-old is currently awaiting his fate with a Newcastle Crown Court judge set to sentence him early next year.

However, Northumbria Police is currently fighting a different court case to lay claim to almost £14,500 in cash they claim Blake laundered.

The force made an application at Newcastle Magistrates' Court on Friday for the continued detention of the cash, which they seized as part of the investigation.

In total, £13,529 along with 1,100 Euros was seized.

That case - which has been adjourned almost a dozen times - was put off again until January 31.

That will be a week after the Wantage Avenue defendant is sentenced at the Crown Court on January 24.