HM Revenue and Customs
Printable version | E-mail this to a friend |
Surrey plumber jailed for tax evasion
A Surrey plumber has been jailed for 12 months for tax evasion.
Melvyn Careswell (49) of Epsom set up a company, MPC Heating and
Plumbing. He traded as a self employed plumber, but never
registered his earnings with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
Investigators discovered that over a five-year period he evaded
around £50,000 of Income Tax.
Chris Martin, HMRC Assistant Director, Criminal
Investigation, said:
“Careswell stole from UK taxpayers by failing to pay tax due
on his earnings and now he must face the consequences of his
actions in jail. HMRC is clamping down on plumbers and those in
other trades who attempt to commit tax evasion, and the sentence
given to Careswell will act as a deterrent. I ask anyone with
information about suspected tax fraud to call the Tax Evasion
Hotline on 0800 788 887.”
This sentencing follows a number of HMRC investigations after
the analysis of data acquired by HMRC targeting plumbers, gas
fitters and heating engineers who failed to take advantage of the
opportunity offered during last year’s Plumbers Tax Safe Plan
(PTSP), to put their tax affairs in order on the best possible
terms. Those who came forward have already paid over £4 million in
outstanding tax.
Mike Wells, HMRC Director of Risk and Intelligence Services, said:
“We want people targeted by any HMRC campaign to come forward
and use the opportunity to put the record straight and pay any tax
due on the best possible terms. It really is better for people who
owe tax to come to HMRC, before we come and find you.”
Careswell was arrested on 5 August 2011. He pleaded guilty to
the offence and was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment at
Kingston Crown Court on Friday (20 July 2012).
Confiscation proceedings are underway.
Notes for editors 1. Melvyn Peter Careswell (23.11.62), a
plumber, of 15 Poplar Crescent, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 9ER was
charged with fraudulent Evasion of Income Tax contrary to the
Taxes Management Act 1970.
2. He pleaded guilty to £50,000 fraudulent tax evasion and
was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment at Kingston Crown Court
on 20 July 2012.
3. Nearly £510 million has been raised by HMRC from voluntary
disclosures, and a further £120 million from follow-up activity.
Campaigns launched so far have targeted offshore investments,
medical professionals, plumbers, VAT defaulters, coaches and
tutors, electricians and online traders.
4. Those in the target groups wishing to let HMRC know of the
intention to make a voluntary disclosure can:
Use the forms on HMRC’s website 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)
5. 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
6. 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.
7. Further information on HMRC campaigns can be found at : http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/campaigns/news.htm
8. Anyone with information about suspected tax fraud can call
the Tax Evasion Hotline on 0800 788 887
9. Follow HMRC on Twitter @HMRCgovuk
10. Images are available on HMRC’s flickr channel www.flickr.com/hmrcgovuk
Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office
Press enquiries only please contact:
Contacts:
HM Revenue & Customs
news.reply@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
Georgina Myles
Phone: 07748 931504
georgina.myles@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
Bob Gaiger
Phone: 07802 634 144
bob.gaiger@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
HMRC Out of Hours
Phone: 07860 359544
news.reply@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk