A man who conned tax officials out of £34 million and funded a lavish lifestyle of luxury hotels and restaurants has been jailed for one of the longest sentences in British criminal fraud history. Thomas Scragg, 56, was jailed for a total of 17 years following three separate fraud convictions against HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) ~ the latest, in March 2011, for stealing millions of pounds in employee PAYE tax. The conman from Solihull, West Mids. used his business Moya Payroll which managed staff wages of construction industry companies to steal over £26m in tax over a five year period between 2002 and 2007. Other investigations revealed a further £8m of stolen PAYE tax in a 10-month period from April 2007 to February 2008.His co-defendant, Paul Phillips from Derbyshire, was jailed for nine years.The latest conviction for offences in March 2011, followed a joint investigation by West Midlands Police and HMRC.The extent of Scragg's racket has remained a secret until now as cases against his two henchmen Carl Johnson, 49, and his brother Anthony, 51, from Wolverhampton progressed through court.
ROLLING up snow in its tiny paws, this little squirrel is looking for a snowball fight .
STAIRWAY obsessed photographers have captured psychedelic shots that will mesmerise you .
With an abandoned tricycle sitting in an empty corridor, this derelict but once grand mansion could be the setting for The Shining .
WITHOUT a care in the world, this little chimpanzee shows off her gymnastic skills as she swings around her enclosure .
Lying angelically with a range of expressions etched on their tiny faces, little bundles of joy are innocently captured in their first few days in these adorable photographs .
SPLASHING around in a paddling pool, this little elephant soaks up the sunshine .
AN OLD ENGLISH cottage packed full of history and valuables has been left to rot .
HUDDLED together on a branch, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls soak up the sun .
A BIKINI swim with jellyfish sounds like the most painful past-time on the planet .
Playing, splashing and generally messing around, these polar bears show they certainly have a soft spot for the water, and not just each other .
From a floating jelly fish to a relaxed seal, Britain’s unappreciated beach life is captured above and below the water .