Window salesman is jailed for double tax scam

Self-employed Jonathan Wright, 36, admitted failing to declare five years’ income, totalling more than £530,000, to HM Revenue and Customs, last March.

His sentencing was postponed for six months to allow him to repay the money, but Wright went on to offend further, submitting a false VAT return in an attempt to reduce his debt by more than £20,000.

Wright, of Clough Road, Rotherham, told investigators he believed his taxes were “deducted at source”, and that he wasn’t required to submit a self assessment return. The fraudster answered “no comment” to all questions when interviewed for a second time last September.

Sandra Smith, assistant director of HMRC’s fraud investigation service, said: “Wright was given an opportunity to make good what he owed. Instead, he put two fingers up to the law and stole yet more money from the taxpayer. He blew his chance, and that greed and naivety has cost him his liberty.

“Crooks like Wright create an uneven playing field for the honest majority. That’s something we won’t tolerate.”

Wright’s conviction followed the creation of an HMRC “task force” to examine the tax affairs of self-employed salespeople in the double glazing industry.

He admitted nine counts of being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of income tax and VAT at Leeds Crown Court last March and two further counts on this week.