Based in Tonbridge in Kent, Liddiard was a business and HR consultant and the director of Liddiard Associates Company Ltd, which he registered for VAT in August 2010. He deregistered the company retrospectively in December 2012, backdating it to October 2010 claiming that was when it had ceased trading.

However, HMRC’s investigation found invoices and business records which revealed he continued to charge VAT to his unsuspecting customers between 31 December 2010 and 30 November 2012 when he was supposedly no longer in business.

This was before Liddiard joined the ICAEW’s commercial advisory committee as a non-executive member in 2013.

Rather than pay the VAT to HMRC, Liddiard pocketed £44,870 via his personal bank account. The fraud was discovered through VAT compliance checks and referred for investigation.

 Liddiard was found guilty at Canterbury Crown Court after a seven day trial and sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years. He must also complete 100 hours of community work and pay costs of £2,900.

After being found guilty of VAT fraud Liddiard repaid the outstanding money he fraudulently obtained.

Alan Tully, assistant director, fraud investigation service, HMRC, said: ‘Keith Liddiard showed a blatant disregard for UK tax law by knowingly defrauding HMRC of VAT. He knew what he was doing was wrong and now has a criminal record. It is simply not acceptable to steal from HMRC and honest UK taxpayers.’