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.
Throwing a right hook as he launches onto his opponent with his gnarling teeth at the ready, this is the OTTER-LY ruthless showdown between two otters .
Like a scene from a fairytale, THOUSANDS of fireflies create an enchanting glow as they dance in a forest .
HUNDREDS of colour coordinated yarns lie abandoned in this once thriving textile mill .
If you had to scrape the snow off your car this morning or slip-slide your way into work over icy pavements spare a thought for these little critters .
CAUSING a splash, this determined kingfisher goes hunting for dinner .
A middle spotted woodpecker swoops into her nest and feeds her young in a forest in Trentino, Italy .
Swirling water and sand create amazing aerial images of river deltas across Iceland .
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THIS is the EXPLOSIVE moment when a 50 metre high pylon came crashing down to earth in a rural field .
FLAUNTING its new accessory, a fashionable green dumpy tree frog poses for the camera while wearing a SNAIL as a hat .
THEIR gnarling teeth at the ready, these two baboons fight it out for the last piece of fruit .