A North East businesswoman who forged invoices as part of a £87,000 VAT fraud involving her party businesses, has been jailed for failing to comply with an order to repay the money
Claire Gould, from Houghton Le Spring, was handed a two year suspended prison sentence in September 2016, after HMRC discovered she used phoney invoices to claim VAT refunds through her three party and events businesses.
Gould said she spent £1.25m on goods and services for her Fencehouses based companies - Balloon Mania Ltd, All Wrapped Up Events Ltd and Belles and Beaus (UK) Ltd. However, HMRC’s investigation revealed this was a lie and Gould used fake invoices in an attempt to fraudulently claim £175,000 VAT refunds, of which £87,509 was paid.
Gould was given a two year prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay back the £87,509 within two months at Durham Crown Court in September 2016.
She failed to fulfil the requirements of the confiscation order and has now been sentenced to 504 days in prison at Leeds Magistrates’ Court.
Gould only paid £7,000 towards the confiscation order. Her debt of £80,509, plus interest totalling £9,936, remains and increases by £17.65 a day until paid.
Report by Pat Sweet
