A carpet fitter avoided paying more than £200,000 in income tax for five years.
Michael Austen, 73, of Bexleyheath, south London avoided going to jail after admitting the offence.
Austen generated sales of almost £800,000 through his company All Carpets between 2017 and 2022 but did not declare it to HMRC, which calculated he owned HMRC £218,098 in tax.
HMRC began investigating Austen after spotting he declared no income while running an active business. In October 2023, HMRC officers raided his home and found paperwork showing that he regularly booked work.
Austen claimed he had little cash left each month to pay tax as he supported a large household with eight mouths to feed, with his defence barrister saying Austen was the family breadwinner who ‘buried his head in the sand’ rather than facing up to his tax bills.
‘Providing for his grandchildren is commendable but doesn’t justify not paying income tax,’ said judge Steven Kovats, who sentenced Austen to a two year suspended sentence.
Proceeds of crime proceedings have been launched.
