Search goes on for VAT fraud profits

Court action against swindler continues

The authorities are still trying to claw back cash from a potato merchan jailed for a VAT scam.

Perth Sheriff Court was told on Wednesday that inquiries are still ongoing in relation to the Proceeds of Crime action brought against 48- eight- year- old Scott Coupland.

The f i r s t o f f e n d e r, o f Leadenflower Road, Crieff, was unanimously found guilty in January of submitting two false tax repayment claims to HM Revenue and Customs.

A jury took less than an hour to convict Coupland, who was the sole director of WDR Coupland Produce Ltd, which operated from East High Street, Crieff.

Sheriff William Wood jailed the accused for two-and-a-half years, saying that because of the large sums of money involved only a custodial sentence would be appropriate.

Coupland was found guilty of fraudulently evading paying VAT totalling £124,172 or thereby by submitting false repayment claims between March 2011 and June 2012.

He was also convicted of a second charge involving around £37,000. That took place between June and November, 2012.

Coupland claimed his computer had crashed in 2011 and he lost vital information relating to his returns.

That led to him re-keying VAT information going back several years, resulting in wrong details being submitted.

If he had been aware of any wrongdoing, he claimed, he would not have continued submitting his returns the way he had.

Depute fiscal Carol Whyte asked that the Proceeds of Crime action be continued for a further 12 weeks to allow investigations to be completed.

The court was told previously that inquiries were being made regarding a property which was owned by Coupland but subsequently transferred to his wife.

The Crown wants to find out whether the conveyancing took place for a financial consideration and, if so, where the cash went.

The action was continued by the sheriff until June 28.