The Director of Public Prosecutions v Andrey Popeta & Ors

The court may vary and extend a property freezing order where the continuation of the order and the inclusion of additional property are justified to enable an ongoing investigation. The court may impose a shorter extension than that sought if that is the period justified by the circumstances.

The Director of Public Prosecutions applied to vary and extend a property freezing order made by Dias J on 30 May 2025 and sealed on 3 June 2025. The application sought a further 12-month duration and the addition of real property and bank accounts to schedule C.

An issue concerning whether a registered leasehold interest in a Bermondsey flat was recoverable property in the hands of the third respondent was resolved following further disclosure. The application therefore proceeded without that issue remaining in dispute.

1. Application granted in part. The variation and extension of the property freezing order were justified.
2. The court substituted an extension of six months for the proposed 12-month extension. That period was sufficient to enable the applicant to continue its investigation.
3. The property identified in the application, including the additional real property and bank accounts, was added to schedule C of the order.
4. The court was satisfied that the issue concerning the Bermondsey leasehold interest no longer required determination following discussions between the parties and disclosure of a further document.

The order made by Dias J and sealed on 3 June 2025 was varied and extended accordingly.