Wigan couple hit with £30,000 bill for tax breach

A Wigan couple have been hit with a £30,000 bill by the courts for a tax breach.
Wigan and Leigh Magistrates CourtWigan and Leigh Magistrates Court
Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court

Catherine and Martin Turner, of Vine Street, Whelley, appeared before Wigan and Leigh magistrates to plead guilty to a single charge of “supplying goods or services in contravention of conditions requiring you to give a security for the payment of any VAT which was or may have become due to you.”

The offences took place between August 12 last year and January 18 this year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

HM Revenue and Customs can require companies to pay a deposit, or security, where there is a serious risk that the tax will not be paid based on their history.

Wigan and Leigh Magistrates CourtWigan and Leigh Magistrates Court
Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court

It is a criminal offence to continue trading in taxable goods without paying the security under the Value Added Tax Act of 1994.

And HMRC said that they carried on trading and making taxable supplies after the serving of a Notice of Requirement without making payment of the bond requested. Catherine Turner, 53, and 55-year-old Martin Turner, who runs a demolition firm, were each given a 12-month conditional discharge and each ordered to fork out £15,000 in compensation.

It was agreed that the money would be paid in £500 monthly instalments starting on October 9.

In view of the amounts already being demanded of the couple, no orders for court costs or victim surcharges were made.