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.
With a dust covered coat hung from a wardrobe door and a pair of glasses left on a shelf, a remote farmhouse lies abandoned in the Welsh countryside .
Splashing around in the water, a mother otter and her son are tangled in a family feud .
Sprawled out on top of a log, this sleeping leopard takes a relaxing break from his daily routine .
The beds are consumed by moss instead of customers at this abandoned hotel .
IN a galaxy not so far away lies a magical display of lights that could be the latest image from NASA .
A SPECTRUM of colours fills the sky during this spectacular and natural display of light .
STOOD side by side next to a busy road, these buildings were once bustling with life .
A GLOWING range of greens and blues sweep across the sky in a spectacular display of light .
AN ITALIAN mechanic has created the world’s most ferocious mini-car .
AN ARRAY of colours, from pinks to blues and oranges, fill the night sky to create an amazing collection of interstellar patterns .
Pic By HotSpot Media - GAME, SET-TEE AND MATCH: COUPLE INSTALL TENNIS COURT IN LOUNGE- In Pic - Ben Walters’ message to West Midlands Police via social media .
MEET the little lion of suburbia with a mane that makes him look like a mini-king of the jungle .