Housebuilding couple convicted of £600,000 fraud
A Yorkshire couple have been convicted after pleading guilty to a £600,000 VAT fraud involving a housebuilding company.
Craig and Tracy Taylor, from Wortley in South Yorkshire, were convicted of fraud and money laundering, as the cash was passed through their personal accounts.
Mr Taylor faces a six-year sentence for three separate charges. while Mrs Taylor was given a 52-week term, suspended for two years.
The HMRC has said that the couple continued to claim VAT after their construction company, Avalon Construction, went bust in 2009.
The pair reclaimed around £600,000 in VAT after the company was wound up, with Mr Taylor submitting a claim for another £79,000 in 2011, which he dropped when HMRC challenged the claim.
Assistant director for criminal investigation Peter Hollier said: “Craig and Tracy Taylor ran a construction business for a number of years, but when it began to fail they started to line their own pockets with the proceeds of an illegal VAT repayments fraud.”
While the house was being searched by HMRC officers, Mr Taylor was found hiding in an en-suite bathroom.
“The repayment claims were totally fictitious as their company had gone into administration and they attempted to steal even more cash from the taxpayer.
“The pair used the money to fund a two-year spending spree, spending thousands on luxury items most hard working families can’t afford.”
Mr and Mrs Taylor had claimed to be separated throughout the fraud, purchasing designer jewellery, expensive cars and taking luxury holidays.