Thirty-two top tax cheats jailed, HMRC announces

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has announced that 32 of the country's biggest tax cheats have received long prison sentences.

The department published pictures of people they were looking to speak to last year, with the result being a combined total of 155 years and ten months in jail.

It comes as part of a wider crackdown on tax evasion as HMRC looks to recoup lost tax revenues and punish those who have done wrong.

Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke said that the government is "committed to closing in on tax evaders".

"Collectively the 32 criminals have been sentenced to more than 150 years. Most people play by the rules and pay what they owe, but HMRC is cracking down on those who don't," he noted.

"We hope that publishing these pictures will help get across that it always makes sense to declare all your income, and tax dodgers are simply storing up trouble for the future."

Last month, the department announced that government legislation was being drafted to end a tax avoidance scheme that had artificially reduced Corporation Tax bills.

Posted by Thomas Fletcher

Date published 4 Jan 2013 | Last updated 4 Jan 2013