Barrister jailed for £274,000 tax fraud

An Oxfordshire barrister has been jailed for three years after pleading guilty to a £274,000 tax fraud.

Michael Charles Roberts, aged 58, of St Andrews Road, Henley-on-Thames, was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Friday. He also pleaded guilty to a charge of perjury, and was sentenced to six months for that offence, HMRC said in a press release.

Roberts was arrested 2012 and charged with cheating the public revenue by failing to account for VAT, income tax and NICs whilst working as a barrister. He had been declared bankrupt in 2008, owing more than £700,000 in unpaid taxes.

John Cooper, assistant director of criminal investigation at HMRC, said: “Roberts was a legal professional in a position of trust, well aware of his tax obligations and that he was breaking the law. He chose to overlook this to make what he assumed would be easy money at the expense of UK taxpayers and now he has to pay the price.

“We ask anyone with information about this type of crime to contact the Tax Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”

HMRC was principal creditor to the bankruptcy and most of the debt has not been paid, the department said.