A barrister specialising in fraud has been jailed for 18 months for tax fraud.
Peter Moss, 61, from North Wales, failed to submit VAT or self-assessment returns which resulted in a loss to HM Revenue & Customs of £138,500.
He claimed he didn’t know it was illegal not to pay the tax he owed, and settled his debts according to "whoever shouts the loudest".
HMRC found the lawyer had been registered as a sole trader since 1985 and, despite visits from officers in the past, failed to submit 26 VAT returns and did not submit any self-assessment tax returns after 1999.
Paul Maybury, assistant director of HMRC's fraud investigation service, said: "There is no doubt Moss was aware of his responsibilities as he had received previous warnings. He was abusing the tax system and depriving public services of vital funding to give himself an unfair advantage over his honest competitors.
"HMRC is levelling the playing field for legitimate businesses and making sure that crime doesn’t pay.
"Tax fraud is not a victimless crime, it affects us all and I would ask anyone with information about people who may be involved to report it online or contact our fraud hotline."
When interviewed Moss admitted knowing he should have submitted VAT and self-assessment returns, but said he didn’t know it was an offence not to do so. He claimed he was in debt with a number of people and responds to "whoever shouts the loudest".
During his professional career Moss mainly defended criminals, earning more than £600,000 between 2008 and 2016. Although he had previously entered a voluntary agreement to declare his earnings and fulfil his tax paying responsibilities, he still didn’t pay any tax or National Insurance contributions.
Moss was found guilty of being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of income tax and being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of VAT at Leeds Crown Court on 21 June. At the same court on 22 June he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
damian.fantato@ft.com
