The boss of a Nottinghamshire security firm who fled from court just before his sentencing has finally been locked up for pocketing £300,000 in a tax scam.
The fraud came to light in July 2012 when revenue officers discovered James Turner, 56, from Rise Park, had been issuing invoices charging VAT using invalid registration numbers.
More paperwork showed de-registered numbers and others had no VAT registration number at all.
Further investigations revealed he had also failed to record financial transactions through the company books to try to cover his tracks.
Turner pleaded guilty to VAT fraud and was released on bail.
He returned to Nottingham Crown Court on February 11 but disappeared from the building minutes before his hearing.
Turner, of Brownlow Drive, was arrested in a caravan in Bilborough five days later.
He returned to the court on Thursday and was sentenced to two years and four months, and disqualified from acting as a director for seven years.
Stuart Taylor, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “This was a blatant fraud driven by greed, with the only thought being to line his own pockets.
“Turner knew he was breaking the law, and that he was stealing money that should have been spent on the UK’s vital public services, but chose to do it anyway.
“He is now paying the price for his criminal behaviour; but it doesn’t end there, as HMRC will look to recoup the proceeds of his crime.”
Customs officers are now planning further legal action to recover the money.
