BOXING tycoon Barry Hughes admitted he's facing financial RUIN after fraud cops moved in to shut down his business empire.

BOXING tycoon Barry Hughes admitted he's facing financial RUIN after fraud cops moved in to shut down his business empire.

Officers from the Major Crime and Terrorism Investigation Unit quizzed the businessman for more than six hours this week after an early-morning raid on his home.

Almost 50 officers stripped the rented multi-million-pound property in posh Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, of all his belongings and he was banned from entering it.

His wife Jackie's wedding dress was among the items removed by police.

And to add to his worries, his family are stranded in Spain because his assets have now been frozen.

Speaking for the first time since being hit with a string of charges, Hughes, 31, said: "Make no mistake, this could be the end of the line for me. I could be left flat broke."

But he defiantly insisted: "I'll fight to clear my name. I have NOTHING to hide."

Hughes told the News of the World: "For legal reasons I can't go into the case in great detail - but I feel the actions of the police have been totally disproportionate. I don't think they've made it any secret that they have been looking into my affairs for some time now. In my opinion, what has happened this week has been way over the top.

"They have frozen my bank account and emptied my house. I was left with only the clothes I was standing in and my passport was taken off me.

"Meanwhile, my wife and our three children are stuck in Spain.

"Jackie's wedding dress, TVs and even mirrors have all been removed.

"A lot of the kids' belongings have been taken away, plus boxing memorabilia such as signed gloves given to me by Mike Tyson and Ricky Hatton.

"I struggle to see what kind of relevance doing things like that would have in any investigation.

"Trucks have been coming and going from the house since Wednesday and I was left homeless until Friday night.

"I won't know the full extent of what has been taken until I get an inventory from the police, but I don't imagine they will have left much."

The News of the World can reveal that a nationwide search was launched to track down Hughes on Wednesday.

His photograph and the licence-plate numbers of his cars were circulated round all eight Scottish police forces.

He had only recently returned from a holiday in Marbella, Spain - leaving Jackie, 31, and their kids Morgan, nine, Georgia, six, and 11-month-old baby Brad behind in the exclusive resort.

At 7am on Wednesday, officers raided Hughes' plush home, The Manor, which he rents from his close friend, taxi boss Stevie Malcolm.


A total of 36 cops stripped the inside of the house, while another 12 searched the garden as part of a Proceeds of Crime inquiry. Officers announced their arrival by placing placards outside the house marked "Strathclyde Police - Tackling Serious and Organised Crime" and "Strathclyde Police - Tackling Serious and Organised Crime, seizing assets from criminals".

Among the confiscated items was a painting of former Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura and a Rangers top signed by ex-captain Barry Ferguson.

Hughes commented: "It seems there is an effort to make an example of me. All I ask for is a fair trial and to be treated like any other member of the public.

"But placing banners emblazoned with those sort of messages in the street outside my house suggests some people have made their minds up already.

"I am a businessman, but clearly the police think otherwise - and want to prove their case, shut me down and financially RUIN me.

"But the scale of their actions is way out of line.


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