A Blackpool shopkeeper, who was jailed for tax fraud after lying about her business’ income, has been ordered to pay £250,000 in three months or face another three years in jail and still owe the money
Maureen Carpenter was jailed for 18 months in February this year after a HMRC investigation found that she had submitted fraudulent tax returns for her shop Booze Booze Booze Ltd to evade paying the correct amount of tax.
HMRC found that Carpenter only declared sales from the shop’s opening time to 5pm but she actually traded until 11pm.
She has now been ordered to repay £250,000 within three months or face another three years in prison and still have to pay the money.
At a confiscation hearing at Preston Crown Court on 27 July, Carpenter was ordered to repay the money from her current assets that include houses in Blackpool and Florida.
Report by Amy Austin
