Tan faces $210 million costs bill

Wealthy fraudster George Tan Soon-gin could be forced to pay the $210 million it cost to bring him to justice, a judge said yesterday.

The former Carrian boss pleaded guilty after a 13-year delay as part of a deal in which he was promised he would not have to pay costs.

But Mr Justice Michael Stuart-Moore said he did not see why he should 'rubber stamp' a bargain which would leave the taxpayer out of pocket.

'This stands out a mile as a case in which costs should be ordered, whether the prosecution is asking for them or not,' he said.

'How can I rubber stamp an agreement made with the prosecution when the taxpayer has paid all these millions for a case which has taken all this time because Tan chose not to plead guilty until last week?' Anthony Scrivener QC, defending, said the judge had no power to order costs against Tan.

'That would be the first time in any criminal court I am aware of in any Commonwealth country that costs are awarded to a party which has not sought them,' he said.

Mr Scrivener argued that such an order would infringe the Bill of Rights because there was no way to appeal against it.