Accountant Cheats Staff Out of £473k
Wife Cleared as Husband Faces Guilty Verdict
Michael Stainer swindled nearly half a million pounds from staff pay meant for HMRC, a court heard. His wife, Doris Stainer, 60, was charged with the same crimes but found not guilty.
Payroll Scam Pulled Back Curtain on Grand Hotel
The fraud stretched over years, with £473,097.07 stolen as money deducted from employees never reached the tax office. Prosecutor Anthony Hucklesby revealed, “The Grand employed about 50 staff but didn’t pay any PAYE or National Insurance contributions during the period.”
Attempting to cover his tracks, Mr Stainer tried to make submissions to HMRC after a revenue official’s visit. However, the company’s PAYE account had been cancelled due to inactivity.
HMRC Hits Back
Richard Wilkinson, assistant director of the HMRC fraud investigation service, said: “We welcome today’s conviction of Michael Stainer, an employer who was stealing from his own staff. Instead of lining his pockets with their stolen tax contributions, this money should have been funding our vital public services, such as hospitals and schools.”
Royal Favourite Hotel’s Fall from Grace
Mr Stainer, a chartered accountant, owned The Grand—a hotel once popular with royalty—for over 40 years. Bankruptcy forced the owners to step away. In a twist, residents of the mainly leasehold apartments bought the former hotel at auction last year for a mere £448,000.
