"Paraplegic" stayed outside the system for over 10 years
A paraplegic has been jailed after failing to pay almost £75,000 in tax and £18,000 in interest - after he stockpiled more than £310,000 in cash in a bedroom drawer (a reader notes).
Peter Bell, 66, of Dalefields, Delph, admitted the fraudulent evasion of income tax, concealing criminal property and fraud.
A police search in July 2012 found £311,940 hidden in Bell's bedroom. He had worked as a builder from the age of 16 and was regularly paid cash in hand.
In 1999 he declared himself a paraplegic after an accident - but was able to return to work in 2001 and failed to notify the authorities of a change in circumstance.
On his 65th birthday he put himself forward for pension credit and claimed he did not have savings or investments worth more than £10,000.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) calculated that Bell should have paid £74,184.20 and £18,000 interest in income tax over a ten year period. He was also paid more than £42,000 in benefits.
Bell was sentenced to 15 months in prison at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.
The police search was back in mid-2012. He has only just been sentenced.
And how does it happen that someone can declare himself paraplegic?
Peter Bell, 66, of Dalefields, Delph, admitted the fraudulent evasion of income tax, concealing criminal property and fraud.
A police search in July 2012 found £311,940 hidden in Bell's bedroom. He had worked as a builder from the age of 16 and was regularly paid cash in hand.
In 1999 he declared himself a paraplegic after an accident - but was able to return to work in 2001 and failed to notify the authorities of a change in circumstance.
On his 65th birthday he put himself forward for pension credit and claimed he did not have savings or investments worth more than £10,000.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) calculated that Bell should have paid £74,184.20 and £18,000 interest in income tax over a ten year period. He was also paid more than £42,000 in benefits.
Bell was sentenced to 15 months in prison at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.
The police search was back in mid-2012. He has only just been sentenced.
And how does it happen that someone can declare himself paraplegic?
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