Barrister jailed for tax evasion

ACRIMINAL barrister who earned £75,000 a year specialising in cases of serious fraud committed fraud amounting to nearly £140,000 by not paying any tax or National Insurance.

Peter Moss, 61, from Flintshire, earned more than £600,000 over an eight-year period but he failed to submit 26 VAT returns and had not submitted any self-assessment returns since 1999.

Prosecutors said Moss’ offending caused a loss of £138,500 to HMRC.

Leeds Crown Court heard the defendant registered as a sole trader in 1985 but did not submit any selfassessment tax returns after 1999.

Prosecutors said he earned more than £600,000 between 2008 and 2016 but failed to submit 26 VAT returns despite previous advice from officers. When he was interviewed he accepted knowing that he should have submitted the returns but claimed he did not realise it was an offence not to do so.

Moss stated he was in debt to a number of people and responded to “whoever shout[ed] the loudest”.

Prosecutors said he did not pay any tax or National Insurance contributions.

Moss, from Dig Lane in Hawarden, Flintshire, denied being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of income tax and VAT but was found guilty by a jury on June 21. He was sentenced the next day to 18 months in prison.

Assistant director of the fraud investigation service at HMRC Paul Maybury said: “There is no doubt that Moss was aware of his responsibilities as he had received previous warnings. He was abusing the tax system and depriving public services of vital funding”

Mr Maybury added HMRC was “levelling the playing-field” for legitimate businesses by making sure crime would not pay.

Ben Reid, a specialist prosecutor in the fraud division of the Crown Prosecution Service, said they worked closely with HMRC to secure the conviction.

He said: “Moss knew what was expected of him... but still ignored the rules to avoid paying tax.”

Fraud Hotline 0800 788 887.