Businessman spared jail over tax evasion

10:30pm Saturday 6th September 2008

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A BUSINESSMAN who ran two taxi firms but failed to declare his income to the Government has been spared jail.

Carl Bussey told fraud investigators that he thought he could earn up to £56,000 a year before he had to pay tax.

A judge refused to believe the 43-year-old's excuse and imposed a suspended prison sentence on Bussey.

"Anyone with your level of intelligence knows you have to pay tax over a personal allowance of about £5,000," said Recorder Julian Goss, QC.

Bussey evaded paying more than £20,000 during a four-year period while he ran the businesses in County Durham.

Teesside Crown Court heard that he was the proprietor of two firms in the Sedgefield District Council area.

He ran the eight-car M&D Taxis between August 2000 and July 2002, and Spennymoor Taxis from November 2003 to June 2005.

Bussey, of Tudhoe Moor, Spennymoor, admitted two charges of fraudulent evasion of income tax.

As well as the six-month prison sentence - suspended for 18 months - he was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid community work.

He was also ordered to pay £500 court costs and £3,000 compensation to HM Revenue and Customs within seven days.

Scott Smith, mitigating, said Bussey had already paid back more than £3,000, and the balance will be returned in instalments.

Mr Smith said: "His tax records are now fully sorted, he has instructed an accountant and he appears to have learned his lesson from this stupid mistake."