A meat trader who swindled cash through a mortgage fraud scam to pay for luxury holidays was ordered to pay back £500,000 today . Grant Allen , 38 , of Harlow , Essex , travelled first class around the world with his girlfriend Gaynor Godwin and bought a holiday home on the Costa Del Sol , Spain , using criminally gained money . The pair stayed at top hotels on at least eight holidays costing £30,000 between 2006 and 2010 , including a trip to Dubai , United Arab Emirates , in 2009 worth £7,600 . Grant Allen ( left ) , 38 , of Harlow , Essex , travelled round the world with his girlfriend , Gaynor Godwin ( right ) using money from a mortgage fraud scam . Edward Byatt ( behind Allen , left ) was also involved in the fraud . Allen also splurged £8,700 on a holiday to Florida in 2009 when he took his girlfriend and children to Disney World . The Old Bailey heard that he hid the fraud by buying and trading properties and funnelling large amounts of cash through his unwitting girlfriend 's bank account . The couple lived in a £700,000 home in Rayne , Essex - where £33,000 was spent on landscaping the garden - and also owned a property in Hertfordshire , bought with the proceeds of the fraud . When the home in Essex was raided in 2011 , detectives found large piles of cash including £1,000 which was stashed in the extractor fan in the kitchen . Judge Stephen Kramer QC today ordered Allen to pay back £491,000 as the proceeds of crime . Allen , who was jailed for six years for mortgage fraud and money laundering , could face another three years behind bars if he fails to pay the money back . Allen splurged £8,700 on a holiday to Florida in 2009 when he took his girlfriend and children to Disney World . However , the court heard he has assets including homes in Essex , Bishop Stortford , and southern Spain which he can sell to cover the repayment . A second defendant , Edward Byatt , 39 , of Buckhurst Hill , Essex , was ordered to pay back £10,000 for his part in the fraud . His name was on the deeds for the home in Rayne , despite Allen living there with Ms Godwin and their young son . ‘ Grant Allen used other people in the laundering process . He is somehow involved in criminal behaviour , ’ prosecutor Charles Evans told the trial in 2013 . ‘ The money would have been criminal proceeds. ’ During his trial , Allen claimed he worked as a meat trader and a builder , and suggested his funds had come from successful gambling ventures . The pair stayed at top hotels on at least eight holidays costing £30,000 between 2006 and 2010 , including a trip to Dubai , United Arab Emirates , in 2009 worth £7,600 . Mr Evans told the jury : ‘ Grant Allen and Gaynor Godwin lived an enviable lifestyle and travelled to Dubai and America , sometimes travelling first class and staying in luxury hotels. ’ Godwin was cleared by the jury of conspiracy to remove criminal property after telling them she had no idea where Allen had got the large sums of money . But Allen and Byatt were both convicted after trial and were both in court to hear the order being made . The judge will consider on Thursday whether to impose on Allen a strict financial reporting order which would force him to present the authorities with regular documents showing his use of money .
Grant Allen , 38 , spent £30,000 holidaying with girlfriend Gaynor Godwin . He bought houses in Essex Sol as well as in Costa Del and Hertfordshire . Court heard meat trader hid fraud by funnelling cash into partner 's bank . Allen was previously jailed for six years for fraud and money laundering .