The director of an Uxbridge haulage company, who stole more than £30,000 by faking vehicle purchases to claim VAT repayments, has been jailed.
Andrew Lumb, of Hillingdon Road, Uxbridge, was sentenced to a 16 months in prison at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday, November 19.
He was also disqualified from being a director for ten years.
Lumb was charged with offences of VAT repayment fraud contrary to the Fraud Act 2006.
An investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) found that through his company Europlashaulage Ltd, registered to his address in Hillingdon Road, Uxbridge, Lumb had submitted false invoices for the purchase of vehicles to claim VAT refunds of £30,271.
During the investigation Lumb admitted to helping acquaintance Charlie Doherty, director of Dochaulage Ltd in Staines, to replicate the fraud in his own businesses.
With Lumb’s advice, Doherty submitted false invoices for the fictitious purchase of vehicles to reclaim VAT of £47,875 and was jailed for 14 months.
Paul Barton, Assistant Director of Criminal Investigation for HMRC, said: “Both defendants believed they had found the perfect way to get rich quick by conning HMRC and stealing from the British taxpayer. They were wrong and are now facing the consequences of their actions.”
A third man, Westley James Temple of Colchester, Essex, was arrested in relation to the investigation but failed to answer court bail at Ipswich Crown Court on October 1 and has since gone into hiding.
A bench warrant has been granted for his immediate arrest and HMRC has today issued a wanted appeal. Anyone with information on his whereabouts can contact HMRC’s hotline on 0800 59 5000.
