THE victims of a ruthless gang of rogue traders responsible for one of the country's worst cases of "repeat victimisation" will be paid compensation, a court ruled.

More than £200,000 will be clawed back from the crooked family who are being forced to sell two homes as well as their cars under Proceeds of Crime Act legislation.

Gang leader Monty Croke and his two sons, Billy and Monty Junior appeared at Teesside Crown Court again - ten months after they were jailed - to have their assets assessed.

Between them, they were said to have benefited by almost £700,000 from their illegal activities across the north of England over a period of more than eight years.

Dad-of-three Croke Snr, 47, was assessed to have made £574,234, while son Monty, 27, netted £56,205 and his younger brother Billy, 24, gained £59,649 from a string of frauds.

The three admitted conspiracy to defraud and money laundering charges and were jailed for five years, two-and-a-half years and 12 months respectively in February.

A fourth man, 36-year-old family friend, James Coverdale, got a suspended prison sentence for his involvement, and has been assessed to have made £10,700.

The figures - and the available assets the men have - were agreed between prosecutor Richard Bennett and defence barristers after lengthy out-of-court discussions.

Croke Snr, who has listed addresses of Field Drive, Pickering, and The Laurels, Lendales Lane, Pickering, North Yorkshire, is deemed to haves total of £111,673 retrievable.

Monty Jnr and his brother, both of Thistle Hill Traveller’s Site, Knareborough, North Yorkshire, are said to have £5,802 and £3,860 which can be clawed back.

Mrs Justice Simler told them that they will be allowed six months to pay the money, and if they fail they will have time added to their prison sentences.

The victims - mostly elderly, infirm or disabled, and targeted by the travelling gang - will be paid back on a pro-rata basis, Mr Bennett told the court.

One retired businessman had an astonishing £250,000 taken from him by Croke Snr, who returned to his home time and again over eight years, pretending to be his friend.

The man, from North Yorkshire, said after the case: "I was completely taken in. He befriended me and he then betrayed my friendship. It was all one big lie."

Jailing him in February, Judge Tony Briggs described Croke Snr as devious and ruthless in his pursuit of money, and said he preyed upon the businessman's loneliness and need for friendship, and treated him as a cash cow.

Coverdale, of Ings Garth, Pickering, was given a 15-month sentence, which was suspended for two years, with drug treatment and 12 months' supervision.

At earlier hearings, they pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud householders in relation to shoddy, over-priced and unnecessary property repairs.