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A violent loan shark who charged 4.5 MILLION per cent APR has been jailed.

Dad-of-four Thomas Johnson’s illegal money lending racket brought misery and fear to vulnerable people and families in Stockport over a period of five years.

Johnson, 41, dealt with around 100 ‘customers’ and raked in more than £200,000 over the period, a court was told, the Manchester Evening News reports.

Known as ‘JT’, he used threats of violence to ensure repayments.

Johnson, of Bank Road, Bredbury, told one debtor that he would ‘break his legs’ and ‘bury his dead body’ if he didn’t make a repayment, Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court heard. Other threats, sent to the same man, warned that he would be ‘put in a wheelchair’.

Johnson pleaded guilty to illegal money lending and money laundering offences and was jailed for 33 months.

The court heard Johnson ‘exploited’ his wife by using her bank account to move funds, money which would often be used for new loans. Other profit he made was spent on alcohol and illicit substances, said Judge John Potter.

Judge Potter said Johnson’s previous convictions portrayed him as a ‘dishonest and a violent man’ and described the interest rates as ‘exorbitant’.

The APR for his loans was a ‘staggering’ 4.5 million per cent.

Judge Potter said Johnson knew his debtors couldn’t afford repayments and said: “You preyed on people within your own community who were financially disadvantaged and thus vulnerable to your odious criminality.”

Simon Mortimer, prosecuting, said most loans were ‘short term’ over seven days but balances were doubled if a payment was missed.

Mr Mortimer said Johnson told one debtor that ‘nobody would get away without paying’ and that he had even ‘tracked someone down’ to Spain to pay a debt.

He claimed another ‘well-known criminal’ was behind the loans, the court was told.

Mr Mortimer said Johnson told another debtor, a single mum, over Facebook that he was a ‘loan shark’ who could also help her friends.

In excerpts from text messages read out in court, another debtor tells Johnson that she was ‘going to have to miss’ a payment because she needed shopping. Johnson replied: “Fine doubled. Your balance now £130.” He was arrested in December last year.

Adrian Farrow, defending Johnson, said any money made was quickly dissipated and the figures mentioned were based on extrapolation.

Tony Quigley, head of the Illegal Money Lending Team England, which brought the prosecution with Stockport council, said “We are pleased to have set another community free from the grasp of a loan shark. The public need to know this criminal behaviour will not be tolerated and that loan sharks can and will be brought to justice.”

To report a loan shark, call the team’s confidential hotline on 0300 555 2222.