A CONMAN who went on the run during his fraud trial has been hit with a £300,000 bill after a second court hearing.

If Yasar Hussain, 33 - who was last known to live at Ashburnham Grove, Manningham, Bradford - fails to pay up, he will face an extra three and a quarter years in prison following his conviction for fraud following a proceeds of crime hearing.

The original case was heard at Hull Crown Court and Hussain went on the run before the trial finished, when he was found guilty in his absence, along with two other defendants of setting up a fraudulent energy drink company.

They called it Duracell Energy Drinks Ltd but the product never existed and Proctor and Gamble had refused those involved a licence to sell the product under the Duracell brand.

However, they took orders and offered exclusive marketing rights to companies internationally, defrauding drinks firms in Hong Kong, Dubai, Iran and Hungary by charging £312,000 in advance fees.

The firm was closed down in 2009 before the companies involved had the opportunity to complain.

During that year, those involved had appeared at the Gulfood Trade air at the World Trade Centre in Dubai, where they had thousands of dummy cans of drinks to help them convince buyers they had a genuine product.

Officers from West Yorkshire Police's Economic Crime Division started an investigation and in November 2009 suspects were arrested and luxury cars and nearly £10,000 in cash seized.

David Charity, Financial Investigation Manager for West Yorkshire Police, said: "Hussain played his part in a well organised and convincing scam that conned a number of foreign businesses out of hundreds of thousands of pounds and that has been recognised be the court in setting this confiscation.

"Unless this money is paid within six months when he is caught he will face an extra three and a quarter years on top of whatever sentence he is ordered to serve for his role in the crime.

"I hope this confiscation sends a message that we will do all we can to take cash from criminals, and that confiscation orders can go through, even when a wanted person is at large."

Detective Constable Samantha Davies of West Yorkshire Police's Economic Crime Team said: "Active inquiries remain ongoing to find Yasar Hussain, but he has so far evaded detection and is on the run.

"He played his part in a well-organised and convincing scam that conned a number of foreign businesses out of hundreds of thousands of pounds. He is a wanted man and we are determined to catch him and see him sentenced for his crimes.

"I continue to appeal for anyone who knows of Yasar Hussain's whereabouts to contact the police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111."

Hussain's father, Bradford Councillor Shabir Hussain (Lab, Manningham) has previously urged his son to give himself up.