Jail For Tax Dodger Who Returned To UK For Match
Jail For Tax Dodger Who Returned To UK For Match
A businessman who moved to Benidorm to hide from the taxman has been jailed after he flew back to Britain so he could watch his favourite football team.
Damian O'Hagan, from Liverpool, had charged one of his clients more than £90,000 in VAT - and then tried to keep the money for himself.
When he realised HMRC had discovered the fraud in January 2015, he moved to the Spanish resort and opened a bar to evade capture.
But less than eight months later, O'Hagan scored an own goal when he returned to the UK so he could see his team Everton play Manchester City at Goodison Park.
At the request of HMRC, Merseyside Police arrested the 60-year-old at the turnstiles.
On Wednesday, O'Hagan was sentenced to 18 months behind bars at Liverpool Crown Court.
During the trial, the client who had paid O'Hagan the VAT money described how the fraud had caused them significant cash flow issues, resulting in the redundancy of two workers.
Sandra Smith, from HMRC's fraud investigation service, said: "O'Hagan knew his business transactions were under scrutiny and the game was up. This was one match he wasn't going to win.
"He now faces a full confiscation hearing to recover the money he stole from the public purse."
Damian O'Hagan, from Liverpool, had charged one of his clients more than £90,000 in VAT - and then tried to keep the money for himself.
When he realised HMRC had discovered the fraud in January 2015, he moved to the Spanish resort and opened a bar to evade capture.
But less than eight months later, O'Hagan scored an own goal when he returned to the UK so he could see his team Everton play Manchester City at Goodison Park.
At the request of HMRC, Merseyside Police arrested the 60-year-old at the turnstiles.
On Wednesday, O'Hagan was sentenced to 18 months behind bars at Liverpool Crown Court.
During the trial, the client who had paid O'Hagan the VAT money described how the fraud had caused them significant cash flow issues, resulting in the redundancy of two workers.
Sandra Smith, from HMRC's fraud investigation service, said: "O'Hagan knew his business transactions were under scrutiny and the game was up. This was one match he wasn't going to win.
"He now faces a full confiscation hearing to recover the money he stole from the public purse."
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