HOTEL PROPRIETOR JAILED FOR 3 YEARS FOR STEALING FROM THE PUBLIC PURSE

14 Jun 2001 12:00 AM

Azhar Ahmed Khan aged 42 of Warwick Gardens W14 8PP,was sent to Jail today for 3 years. Khan had been found guilty last week on three counts of common Law cheat after a trial lasting ten weeks at Blackfriars Crown Court.

He had been remanded in custody to await today''s sentencing.

In the ten-week trial it was shown that Khan had produced false invoices and falsified accounts. The total loss to the public purse is more than #400,000.

The fraud covers the period from 1991 to 1996 and Khan actually committed these offences whilst already under investigation.

In sentencing Khan to 3 years His Honour Judge Charles Byers said

''anybody who cheats the Inland Revenue effectively steals from every honest tax payer in this country''

His Honour also said about Khan

''your behaviour was dishonest, devious and criminal''

Khan was disqualified to hold any directorship for 5 years and ordered to pay 50% of the prosecution costs.

There will be a confiscation hearing on the 6 August 2001.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

* Azhar Ahmed Khan of 52 Warwick Gardens London W14 8PP date of birth 02/02/1959

* Khan Left school in the UK in 1978. He had 3 jobs under PAYE and joined Newham Borough Council, again under PAYE, as an Estate Manager''s assistant in the Housing Department.

* Khan saw a business opportunity while working for the Council and started his own letting business. At any one time Khan managed around 60 properties, mainly in the East End of London. These were let mainly to homeless people with the Council paying the rent. Khan owned 9 of the properties and sub-let the rest.

* Through two of his companies Khan acquired The Granham House Hotel and The Da Silva Hotel. These hotels housed homeless people. He also acquired a tourist hotel in the West End of London - The London Continental Hotel.

* Khan was convicted of three charges involving false invoicing and false accounting.

* The fraud covers the period from 1991 to 1996. Offences on the indictment were in fact committed while an investigation was in progress.

* The trial commenced at Blackfriars Crown Court on 26/3/01 before his Honour Judge Charles Byers. Joanna Glynn was Prosecuting Counsel with Andrew Hurst her junior. Bill Clegg QC was Defence Counsel.

* The investigation was conducted by the Criminal Prosecution Group based at Manchester Special Compliance Office.

* Khan was the subject of a search operation by the Inland Revenue with evidence being gathered following the execution of search warrants at 21 locations in the South of England. Khan was arrested on the day of the search on suspicion of tax fraud.

* Khan''s main defence was that he relied on his professional advisors at all times and it is they who have let him down.

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