TAXMAN JAILED FOR £210,000 REPAYMENT FRAUD

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) employee Gareth Hopkins (48) has been jailed for 2 1/2 years for an elaborate income tax repayment fraud which netted him over £210,500.

Hopkins, of Thomas Street, Mountain Ash, Mid Glamorgan, pleaded guilty to five offences of Cheating the Public Revenue and one of False Accounting Contrary to the Theft Act.

Investigations undertaken by HMRC show that between 24 July 1998 and 14 November 2005, Hopkins created false taxpayer identities and details on the Department's computer systems. He generated seven false income tax repayments totalling £210,564.74. An attempt by Hopkins to issue a further repayment in the sum of £14,960.00 in November 2005 was prevented.

Hopkins set up bogus identities and used them to create records on the Department's computer systems with repayments being generated thereafter on these falsely created records. None of the repayments issued were due - all were based on false information.

Hopkins pleaded guilty to the offences and to setting up a business bank account, which he controlled, and into which all of the false tax repayments were issued.

In sentencing Hopkins at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, His Hon Mr Justice Davis KT said:

"HM Revenue & Customs cannot operate properly if it cannot trust its officers to undertake their work honesty. You have, however, chosen to feather your nest."

This case was successfully prosecuted by the Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO). RCPO is an independent prosecuting authority, which reports to the Attorney General, and is responsible for the prosecution of all HMRC cases in England & Wales.

Notes for Editors 1. A confiscation hearing will be held at a later date.

2. Date of birth 4 April 1958.

3. The Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) was created by Royal Assent on 18 April 2005. An independent prosecuting authority, RCPO reports directly to the Attorney General, and is responsible for prosecuting some of the largest drug and fraud cases in the UK.

Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Media Relations Team

Website http://www.hmrc.gov.uk

Client ref WA 17.06