Named and shamed: Yorkshire takeaways, pubs and tradespeople fined millions for deliberate tax defaults
HM Revenue and Customs has named and shamed Yorkshire businesses and tradesmen collectively fined millions of pounds for deliberately defaulting on their tax obligations.
Publication of the names of those involved is part of the punishment by the HMRC, with details of those involved remains public for 12 months.
In each case, the taxpayer failed to fully disclose their default to HMRC at the outset of an investigation. The published list only includes those penalised under civil procedures and does not include criminal convictions for tax fraud.
The new list shows Yorkshire businesses and self-employed workers in these categories were collectively fined more than £2.3m.
Rotherham-based waste and scrap wholesaler C.F.Booth Limited was given a £1.4m penalty for two periods of default which occurred between 2012 and 2014.
Ilkley consultancy Piretek Ltd was fined over £388,000 for a default between 2020 and 2022.
Leeds takeaway Pizza Lafonte Limited received a £160,000 penalty for a default between 2019 and 2021, with a self-employed Leeds businessman called Sarfraz Hussain given an £81,000 penalty for a default between 2015 and 2016 and another between 2021 and 2022.
Sheffield takeaway Fu Sheng Lin, formerly trading as ‘Igo-Hungry’, received a £106,000 penalty for a default between 2016 and 2021, with Leeds shop Ice Scoop (Crossgates) getting a £54,000 penalty for a default between 2016 and 2021.
Sheffield-based Omar Mubarak, formerly trading as Charley’s Kebab & Grill, was fined over £25,000 for a default between 2015 and 2021, with Sheffield kitchen fitter Callum Shane Patrick Ferriter given a £24,000 penalty covering a default period between 2019 and 2023.
Barnsley roofer Antony Edward Baggott was fined over £20,000 covering a default period between 2019 and 2023, with Gary Paul Stocks of The Horse Vault pub in Pontefract given a £15,000 penalty for a period also covering 2019 to 2023.
Bradford’s Kadco IT & BPO Solution Ltd got an £18,000 penalty for a default period covering 2021 to 2022.
Previously-fined Yorkshire companies whose details remain public include The Travellers Inn Birdwell Limited, formerly trading as Travellers Inn, which received a penalty of £453,000 and Bradford’s TheKashmir Yorkshire Limited, formerly trading as Kashmir Restaurant, which got a £213,000 penalty.
Also previously fined was Leeds firm Soprano LS14 Ltd, which trades as ‘Sopranos Pizzas’. It got a £44,000 penalty.
The details HMRC can share about each deliberate default are limited to what is published in the list.
Kevin Hubbard, HMRC's Director of Individuals and Small Business Compliance, said publication of the lists is part of HMRC’s deterrence work.
"We use a range of tools to take firm action against the minority who refuse to pay the tax they owe,” he said. “This includes publishing the names of those penalised for deliberate defaults to influence taxpayer behaviour and encourage defaulters to engage with HMRC."