Jeffrey Alan Brown, 51, a self-employed salesman and entertainer who is also well known for appearing on double glazing company, Safestyle UK’s TV adverts had not submitted a self-assessment return for more than 14 years. This was despite earning more than £300,000 in sales commission from Safestyle and £6,900 as a match day host at Burnley FC.

He has been ordered to pay back £53,498, which included interest, within three months or he will face 12 months in jail.

Brown signed an agreement with Safestyle agreeing to be responsible for his own income tax and national insurance contributions however, he failed to declare his earnings to HMRC. Therefore, he owed £50,000 to HMRC for tax returns from February 2009 onwards.

He used a fake address on his employment records in an attempt to evade detection and taxes.

He also worked as an entertainer, under the trading name Brown Loaf Entertainment, for several football clubs including Burnley FC, Accrington Stanley FC and Wigan Warriors Rugby League FC. However, he stopped submitting tax returns from 2001 and never registered the business with HMRC.

Zoe Ellerbeck, assistant director, Fraud Investigation Service at HMRC, said: ‘This is a case of a well-known local personality and TV character flaunting the law as if it didn’t apply to him. Brown had submitted tax returns in the past and therefore was well aware of his tax obligations. This was deliberate theft from taxpayers by Brown. We are determined to recover stolen tax from criminals who deprive the UK of vital funds.

‘Deliberately evading tax in this way is insulting to the honest taxpayers but HMRC is determined to clamp down on financial crime and Brown is now repaying the proceeds of his criminal behaviour.’