James Turner ran his business under various different names, between April 2007 and March 2013, including Stealth Security, Stealth Security (2003) Ltd, Saba Security Ltd and First Call Stealth Security Ltd.

 An HMRC investigation in July 2012 found that Turner had been issuing invoices charging VAT using invalid registration numbers, some de-registered numbers and others showing no VAT registration number at all. Further investigations revealed that he had also failed to record financial transactions through the company books, in an attempt to disguise his wrongdoing.

 Turner pleaded guilty to VAT fraud and was due to be sentenced on 11 February at Nottingham Crown Court, but absconded from court minutes before his hearing. He was arrested five days later and remanded in custody. He was sentenced to two years and four months in prison at the same court yesterday and disqualified from acting as a director for seven years.

Confiscation proceedings to reclaim the proceeds of his criminal activity will now begin.

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.’