Ben Richardson from Kent evaded paying over £2m in taxes while he was in control of four failing construction companies and used the gains to buy a cottage in Kent and pay off debts.

He pleaded guilty to multiple tax evasion offences, including being involved in the fraudulent evasion of VAT totalling nearly £1.8m.

He also admitted to a number of other offences including evading income tax and national insurance contributions, and failing to disclose Construction Industry Scheme returns, resulting in an additional tax bill of nearly £380,000.

He was given a six-year sentence at Maidstone Crown Court on 3 March 2023.