Ex-football boss admits duty evasion
The former boss of a football club pleaded guilty yesterday to avoiding duty on £4.5m worth of counterfeit cigarettes.
Guy Simpson, who used to be chief executive of Southern League Premier Division team Halesowen Town, admitted fraudulently avoiding duty on 21,357,000 cigarettes when he appeared at Southampton Crown Court.
The 52-year-old of Heath Charnock, Lancashire, was charged following the discovery of Regal cigarettes by Customs officials on a ship which arrived in Southampton from China on December 13 last year.
Judge Patrick Hooton granted Simpson bail and the case was adjourned until June 15 for pre-sentence reports .