(Image: HMRC)
A disgraced Crook businessman who splashed out on luxury holidays and a flashy Aston Martin while cheating the taxman pocketed more than £3m through his crimes, a judge ruled.
Accountant Kenneth Scott operated seven financial services companies across the North East of England under the Sunderland-based Willis Scott group, with offices in South Shields, Hexham, Newcastle and County Durham.
Newcastle Crown Court heard during a seven-year revenue dodge he went on a series of high-end trips and treated himself to a £73k Aston Martin.
In April last year, Scott, 69, of Fir Tree, Crook, County Durham, was jailed for four years after he admitted two charges of cheating the revenue between April 2014 and March 2021.
He was also banned from being a company director for ten years.
Scott's case was back in court on October 13 for an application under the Proceeds of Crime Act, to claw back some of his ill-gotten gains.
Judge Edward Bindloss said Scott benefited by £3,308,058.37 through his offending.
The judge said Scott's available amount to be seized, through the sales of the business, the Aston Martin and other assets including shares and Premium Bonds, was £1,269,660.
Scott faces a further seven-and-a-half months in prison if that is not paid within three months.
The outstanding amount remains owed and will be seized if he has any future windfall.
The court heard during the sentence hearing last year the firms' 27 employees had tax and national insurance deducted from their wages but the money was never passed on to the Inland Revenue.
Clients were charged VAT, despite the group not being registered, which was not handed over to HMRC.
Meanwhile Scott was splashing out on trips including a £13k holiday in 2016/17, a £23k holiday in 2017/18, a £44k holiday in 2018/19 and the Aston Martin in 2019.
When he was interviewed over the offences in 2021 Scott already had a £5k cruise booked for that year and admitted his spending had been "a bit over the top".
The court heard because the employees' deductions had not been paid to the Inland Revenue, it meant they were unable to claim benefits after they were no longer in their jobs.
Read more:
- Newton Aycliffe dad known as ‘brilliant footballer’ took his own life, inquest hears
- Wolves-supporting student who mocked A66 crash victims at Boro match spared jail
- Tragedy as retired County Durham couple die in campervan blaze on holiday in France
One worker went to Glasgow for six months due to her mother's ill health and was unable to claim any money she would otherwise have been entitled to while she was there.
Their pensions could also be affected.
References described Scott, who was in business for 40 years, as "courteous, kind and polite" and others spoke of him being a "good employer" who would help people who needed it.