91Èȱ¬

The net is closing around loan sharks. The All-Wales Illegal Money Lending Unit set up a year ago will soon be bringing its first cases to court.

The official estimate is that at least 3 million pounds is borrowed from loan sharks each year in Wales - with around 12 million paid back.

The true figure is probably much higher. And the costs are not just financial. Eye on Wales has spoken to one victim on the condition of strict anonymity.

"For two or three months everything was okay. After that people started to say, "You are late with my payment - you need to pay more interest."

"I started to worry a lot. I was threatened by these people, every day, every night. My family, my children were threatened. Every day there was more and more pressure."

It's a familiar story. Illegal money lender Patrick Kiely was jailed for two years after Mold Crown Court heard he had 350 people from the Bangor, Caernarfon and Llangeni areas on his books.

The all-Wales Illegal Money Lending Unit wants to change that.

Steve Haye and his team have investigated some 35 cases of loan sharking since it was set-up last Autumn. Many involve violence and intimidation.

"We've had examples where people have perhaps borrowed £1000, they've paid back £11,000 over a couple of years."

"They think they're coming to the end and the loan shark will say, "I'll add on another £10,000."

"That's the biggest thing for me. There is no end to your debt, as far as the loan shark is concerned, it's just when they feel like letting you go."

Eye on Wales is presented this week by Georgina Lee.