VAT cheat who fleeced tax man of £32,000 walks free from court

[FarmerPalmer]

VAT cheat from Malmesbury who fleeced tax man of £32,000 walks free from court (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

HMRC not attempting to recover money or costs, and no jail time - so a conviction with no consequences for deliberate evasion.

[Major Hassle]

Great defense he was a bit thick gov and has a bit of a sob story... Andrew Hobson, defending, said that although there was thought involved in the crime it was “not in the first rank of planned sophistication”. Sounds like Kolata will be ok after all...

[SueEllen]

HMRC not attempting to recover money or costs, and no jail time - so a conviction with no consequences for deliberate evasion.

There are consequences but not in terms of imprisonment. Also even if they did chuck him in prison it would be for a few months max.

He won't be able to get a job and will find it difficult to get financial products e.g. insurance.

It is also up to HMRC to decide if they want to take his assets of him but that's a separate legal action.

[Old Greg]

He should have flown free from court, not walked.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eilmer_of_Malmesbury

[northernladuk]

Great defense he was a bit thick gov and has a bit of a sob story... Andrew Hobson, defending, said that although there was thought involved in the crime it was “not in the first rank of planned sophistication”. Sounds like Kolata will be ok after all...