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.
GETTING behind the camera, this monkey practices his photography skills on his friends .
The lighthouses of Brittany, from Brest to Le Conquet, stand tall on France’s north-western coast against stunning scenery .
A cheeky gorilla sticks her tongue out and plays up for the camera at Bronx Zoo .
SPARKLING bright inside their box, it’s hard to believe these diamonds are made from the cremated remains of the deceased .
A once bustling gold rush town in Mono County, California now stands completed deserted .
SITTING on a burning sofa unable to move, one man turns his terrifying dreams into reality .
HOTSPOT MEDIA - FUNKY BUMP: FROM MIRROR bellies to rainbow bumps these pregnancy casts of stone and bronze could be the funkiest way to preserve your bump for posterity .
A Little owl looks down the lens of a camera and gives the photographer a cheeky wink .
CLINGING onto nothing but ice, this brave climber reaches heights of 1000 FEET as he scales frozen solid waterfalls .
The beds are consumed by moss instead of customers at this abandoned hotel .
WELCOME to the Temple of Zoom where you can “experience” sliding down a Mayan temple into shark infested waters .
ESCAPING A LANDFILL FUTURE, these amazing science fiction inspired sculptures are made from everyday objects .