Telford tax fraudster linked to 90-strong county scam
A Telford fraudster who falsely claimed income tax repayments of almost £4,000 was linked to a scam that resulted in more than 90 people being arrested, a court heard.
Stephen Buxton was among scores of residents in Shropshire investigated by Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs as a result of a plot hatched to take advantage of a loophole in the tax system.
He claimed he became involved in the scheme after approaching a stand in Telford Shopping Centre offering the chance of a tax rebate.
Buxton, 24, of Dukes View, Donnington, denied four offences of fraud relating to the period February to June 2012.
But he was convicted following a trial held in his absence at the town's magistrates court.
Magistrates found the case proved after hearing how Buxton signed self-assessment forms providing information that resulted in him getting almost £4,000 in overpayments he was not entitled to.
Miss Abigail Hall, prosecuting, told the court Buxton was paid a cheque for £1,942.50 which he cashed at a Cheque Express branch in Telford.
On another occasion a similar amount was paid into his bank account, but the money was immediately taken back by the authorities following concerns about the claim.
Miss Hall said Buxton claimed to have been working at a company called TBY Ltd, but a subsequent investigation failed to find the business and its operators. He was employed elsewhere at the time of the offences.
Mr Mike Suznyk, defending, said Buxton ended up in court due to him giving a 'no comment' police interview when he was arrested. He said others had been given police cautions instead of being brought to court.
He said: "He made the representations and with the help of the people he filled in the forms for the tax rebate."
Buxton, now unemployed, was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £620 costs and a £15 victims' surcharge.
