Robert Venables KC has entered the witness box again for the fourth day of questioning after he was accused of paying ‘almost £2m less tax than he should have done’.

Venables was cross-examined by the prosecution, over arrangements he had set up to pay what the tax barrister called his ‘service providers’. These were individuals who had worked for Venables including his gardener, accountant, cook, driver, and cleaner.

Julian Christopher KC for the prosecution focused on the arrangements whereby his gardener, Dean Wise, who had given evidence in the opening week of the trial, ‘received payment’ for his work. Throughout the questioning Venables was adamant the ‘service providers’ were not paid as such, but ‘received payment’ for their services.

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