David Hay, 56, from Hyvot Grove, ran firms that oversaw building and renovation works in Edinburgh, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), which soon caught up with him, said Hay was fully aware of his obligations to charge and pay VAT and admitted to investigators that he 鈥渏ust never got round to paying鈥� 鈥� in spite of his claim that he knew he would 鈥済et caught eventually鈥�.
Anne Marie Gordon, assistant director of HMRC鈥檚 fraud investigation service, said: 鈥淐rooks like Hay create an uneven playing field, undercutting the honest businesses who do pay what is due. That鈥檚 something we won鈥檛 tolerate. Instead of passing on the VAT he charged customers to fund vital public services, he chose to keep it for himself even though he knew we would catch him.鈥�
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