Builder Fakes £750K VAT Claims to Feed Gambling Habit – Jailed!
A former builder from Waterlooville, Hampshire, has been slammed behind bars for nearly three years after faking VAT repayments worth a whopping £750,000. Peter Howes, 58, cooked the books between 2011 and 2017, claiming he was still working and entitled to huge VAT refunds on business expenses.
‘Builder’ Was Living a Lie
Howes hadn’t done any building for years. Instead, he fabricated figures on his VAT returns to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), scooping £9,500 a month. The cash wasn’t for tools or materials — it funded his gambling binges and lifestyle.
HMRC Strikes Back
“Howes committed VAT fraud to fund his gambling habit, and is now in jail for his crime,” said Richard Wilkinson, Assistant Director of HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service. “He used the tax system as his personal bank account.”
“It’s simply not acceptable to steal from UK taxpayers and the public services we all rely on,” Wilkinson added. “We will keep hunting down those who try to game the system.”
Busted and Behind Bars
HMRC froze nearly £20,000 of Howes’s ill-gotten gains during the probe. On 25 June 2018, at Portsmouth Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to fraudulent VAT evasion. Just two days later, he was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.
Got a tip about VAT dodgers? HMRC urges the public to report suspicious activity online or call their Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.
