Former Lord Mayor says son should not have tried to escape justice

Yaser Hussain skipped bail in 2012 on the first day of a seven-week trial into money laundering and perverting the course of justice related to a fake energy drink scam that used the famous Duracell name.

He was arrested in August this year in Poland having spent the last 12 years on the run in Pakistan, where he lived with friends.

Earlier this week he was jailed for eight-and-a-half years.

Today his father Shabir Hussain, a Labour councillor and former Lord Mayor of Bradford, said: “He should have stood his ground. If it was up to me, I would have ensured that it was done a long time ago.

“Whatever happened has happened. What he has done he has paid a price for. He does his time. I am happy for it. He cannot run away from this. If you do the crime, you have to pay.”

On Thursday, His Honour Judge Mark Bury, who presided at Yaser Hussain’s trial, confirmed the seven-and-a-half-year jail sentence that he had imposed on Hussain in his absence.

Yaser Hussain (Image: Police) He added a further 12 months for two bail breaches.

Confiscation enforcement proceedings around the £300,000 benefit that Yaser Hussain was ruled to have made from his activities before absconding were adjourned.

The scam involved the setting up of a fraudulent energy drink company – Duracell Energy Drinks Limited, taking orders and offering exclusive regional marketing rights to companies across the globe – despite never having a product to sell.

Back in 2013, Councillor Hussain urged his son to return home to face the charges before him.

At the time Yasar Hussain was thought to be hiding somewhere in the UK after initially fleeing to Dubai.

Back then, his father said: “We haven’t spoke to him. We don’t know where he is and we haven’t seen him since he absconded. We are worried about him and I hope he is safe. It is hurting us as well; he is our flesh and blood.

“We want him to come back. He should be here facing the charges.”

He also protested his son’s innocence insisting, “He is not a scammer.

“He is a lad who is full of life and full of ideas. I cannot see him conning anyone.

“He had a fantastic idea, he thought it was a genuine idea, but someone pulled the plug.

“He has done no harm to anyone. He gave his home address out – if he was a con-merchant, he wouldn’t have done that.”