UK business-woman swindled more than £300,000 in VAT!

59-year-old Melanie Paddon running a Bristol-based refurbishing company “Imperial Design”, was making false tax claims to UK tax authorities (HMRC). Paddon, a married mum-of-two submitted false VAT claims (for payments which had not been made to her company). She pleaded guilty to false submissions between September 2013 and December 2017.

The value of the offence amounted to around £334,000 and Ms. Paddon has recently paid back £340,000 in VAT to the authorities. Judge James Patrick handed her a two-year jail term, suspended for 18 months, telling her: "If you and I meet again you'll have every expectation you can go to prison."The judge also ordered Paddon to carry out 180 hours' unpaid work over the next 18 months. She was also given a six-month curfew during which she must stay indoors from 6pm to 6am and was disqualified from being a director of a business over the next five years.

Charles Row KC, defending, said: "She has expressed acute shame and embarrassment. She has lost her good name. She has let down her family, friends and work colleagues.” Your friendly team at EuroVAT is working hard not to let you down or your colleagues down. We are happy to assist with all your VAT reporting and keep you out of trouble. Contact us at vat@eurovat.com to learn all you options on how to stay legal when doing business internationally.

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