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Plumber jailed for tax fraud

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 27 March 2012

West Midlands plumber David Williams, 53, was today jailed for 12 months for evading £91,000 of income tax and national insurance during 10 years of trading as a self-employed plumber.

Nine more plumbers have been arrested and investigations are ongoing.

HMRC targeted plumbers in a special campaign in 2011. Other such disclosure campaigns have focused on offshore investments, medical professionals, private tutors and coaches, companies not paying VAT, electricians and online marketplace traders.

More than £500m has been raised from these campaigns and more than £110m from follow-up activity by HMRC.

Williams was arrested in September 2011 after an HMRC investigation which uncovered thousands of pounds in cash at his home.

Adrian Farley, Assistant Director of Criminal Investigation for HMRC, said:

“Today’s sentencing is a result of our drive to clamp down on tax evasion committed specifically by plumbers, gas fitters, heating engineers, electricians and others who fail to declare their earnings and pay the right tax. “Tax evasion deprives our country of vital resources and gives tax cheats an unfair advantage over their business competitors so we will not hesitate to investigate those we suspect of evading tax. I would ask anyone with information about people who may be involved in tax evasion to contact the Tax Evasion Hotline on 0800 788 887.”

On sentencing, His Honour Judge Challinor, said:

“You were squirreling the money away, it was based on greed. Those tempted to avoid paying income tax must be deterred.”

Notes for editors Details of sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court today, 27 March 2012, include:

David Michael Williams, (DOB 28.05.58), of Walton Close, Rowley Regis, Sandwell, Black Country, was sentenced to 12 months in prison. Williams pleaded guilty to charges of Evasion of Income Tax, contrary to the Taxes Management Act 1970.

To let HMRC know of the intention to make a voluntary disclosure, those in the target groups can:

Use the forms on HMRC’s website at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/campaigns/notify.htm

Phone HMRC on 0845 601 2944 with details such as: name, address, National Insurance number, telephone number, date of birth and Unique Taxpayer Reference(UTR)

The benefit of the campaigns is that those who make a full disclosure:

will be offered a simple and straightforward way to put their tax affairs right

may not be charged a penalty at all, with most receiving a penalty of no more than 10 per cent of tax owed.

Once disclosure opportunities close, taxpayers who have not come forward but are found to have unpaid tax liabilities will face higher penalties, rising to 100 per cent of the tax unpaid or, potentially, criminal prosecution.

Further information on HMRC campaigns: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/campaigns/news.htm

Follow HMRC on Twitter @HMRCgovuk

NAT 31/12

Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office Press enquiries only please contact:

Contacts:

HM Revenue & Customs
news.reply@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Jonathan Hall
Phone: 0207 147 0052
jonathan.hall@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

HMRC Out of Hours
Phone: 07860 359544
NDS.HMRC@coi.gsi.gov.uk