A ‘rags to riches’ businessman has been fined £20,000 after he paid no tax on his £100,000 a year income from double glazing franchises in Exeter and Plymouth.
Exeter’s Express & Echo reports that Anthony Jenkins worked his way up from being a ‘bankrupt homeless beggar’ to a ‘highly-paid double glazing executive’ but failed to pay a penny in income tax or national insurance for five years.
He dodged tax bills totalling £111,046 but his now repaying the money at £500 a week out of his salary and will also have to pay a large fine.
Jenkins, aged 60, of Rixlade, near Broadclyst, admitted the fraudulent evasion of tax and national insurance and was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years and fined £20,000 with £1,000 costs by Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, at Exeter Crown Court.
The Judge said: “There must be a penalty in a case like this which will deter others. You defrauded the revenue of a very large sum of money and knew perfectly well what you were doing.
“You had previously run your own business and are said to be intelligent but you paid no tax or national insurance for five years.
“You will obviously have to continue to pay off the balance. You suggest you believe you were receiving your income net of tax and national insurance and did not attempt to defraud the public purse. I find that explanation completely incredible.
“You paid no tax at all even when any intelligent person would have appreciated that was dishonest. This was continued over a period of time. You are a man of 60 and effectively of good character and I can see no purpose in sending you to prison.”
Mr Peter Coombe, prosecuting, said Jenkins was managing franchises of the Safe Style double glazing firm in Exeter and Plymouth.
He worked a 70-hour week over six days and had earned £447,412 during the five year period where he had not declared his income between 2008 and 2013.
He came to the attention of the tax authorities because he had previously been self-employed and self-assessed and an investigation showed he owed £111,046 in tax and national insurance.
Mr David Mason, QC, defending, said Jenkins had been bankrupt and destitute when he met a director of the firm who gave him the chance to get back on his feet.
The Express reports that Mr Jenkins has been repaying the overdue tax as quickly as he can and has already paid the revenue £98,618.
