York woman in £1 billion tax fraud named on '˜most wanted' fugitive list

Convicted fraudster Sarah Panitzke, 42, laundered the money as part of a massive tax scam and is due to serve an eight-year jail term for conspiracy to acquire criminal property.

Panitzke, 42, from Fulford, went on the run in May 2013 before the end of her trial, and was jailed in her absence.

She was a senior member of a criminal group involved in a huge VAT fraud, and controlled the accounts of many companies remotely via different computer addresses.

Panitzke travelled the world to further the fraud, and visited Dubai, Spain and Andorra, police said. Eighteen of her associates were jailed for a total of 135 years.

Panitzke is described as 170cm tall, slim build with mousey straight hair, blue eyes and has a Yorkshire accent.

The “most wanted” list also includes a suspect in the murder of Stephen Lawrence, who faces drug dealing charges.

Jamie Acourt, 40, from south-east London, was allegedly part of a cannabis-dealing gang between January 2014 and February 2016.

He previously achieved notoriety after he was named as one of the suspects in the investigation into the racist murder of 18-year-old Stephen. The teenager was killed by up to six attackers in 1993, two of whom, David Norris and Gary Dobson, were convicted and are serving life sentences.

Another suspect on the list is Shane O’Brien, 28, accused of murdering 21-year-old Josh Hanson in an unprovoked knife attack in a bar in Hillingdon, west London in October 2015.

Police believe he has “strong links” to Spain, and uses a false identity to evade capture. A second line of investigation is that he may be in Dubai.

Steve Reynolds, Head of International Operations for the National Crime Agency, said: “The fugitives we are hunting are wanted for serious crimes and must be returned to the UK to face justice. We need the support of the public to help us catch them. Be our eyes and ears and tell us if you have any information on the whereabouts of our targets.”

The list was unveiled by British and Spanish authorities at a joint press conference in Malaga on Thursday.

It also features Jonathan Kelly, 36, from Glasgow, who is wanted for a string of violent crimes including a machete attack that left his victim paralysed; and alleged drugs kingpin Dominic McInally, 25, from Liverpool, who is accused of leading a cocaine-dealing gang that made £1.25 million per month.

Chairman of Crimestoppers Lord Ashcroft said: “These people have managed to evade arrest and avoid justice. We know that with the help of Spanish authorities, along with the public in Spain and the UK, we can find these people.”