Altrincham bookkeeper tax cheat brought to account

A bookkeeper who admitted trying to steal £75,000 in a tax fraud has been sentenced.

Matthew Ashworth, 26, of Place Road, Altrincham, submitted fake VAT returns for two companies he owned in a bid to steal £74,947, a HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigation found.

Ashworth was the sole director of Electus Accountancy Services and Grandstream Warehouse Ltd, which supplied office phones.

He forged 28 purchase invoices from other companies, claiming that he had completed work for them.

Between July 2016 and April 2018, Ashworth dishonestly reclaimed £21,616 in VAT and attempted to claim a further £53,331, which was withheld by HMRC.

Paul Maybury, assistant director, Fraud Investigation Service, said: “The honest majority of business owners pay what they owe and claim back what they’re entitled to.

“Ashworth knew the rules but chose to ignore them.

“He used his bookkeeping knowledge and position as a company director to steal from the public purse – money which is needed to fund our vital public services.

“Anyone with information about tax fraud should report it to HMRC online or contact our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”

Ashworth was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years, at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday, July, 16.

He was also disqualified as a director for five years and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.