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.
HUDDLED together in the hollow of a tree, it would be easy to overlook these two sleepy owls as they blend into the trunk .
From vibrant blues to dazzling oranges, these eye catching hummingbirds proudly show off their impressive colours .
PUCKERING up and enjoying some quality time, these are the most lovable monkeys on the planet .
These photographs of extreme weather capture storms furiously rolling across the sky above America .
A diver explores the crystal clear waters of the Silfra canyon in southern Iceland, which is the only place on Earth where you can dive or snorkel between two continental plates .
From a floating jelly fish to a relaxed seal, Britain’s unappreciated beach life is captured above and below the water .
HUDDLED together on a branch, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls soak up the sun .
A carefree bear cub reclines in the water with his feet raised in the air .
Splashing around in the water, a mother otter and her son are tangled in a family feud .
A BAMBI was dramatically caught in mid-air by a greedy Nile crocodile in a once-in-a-million flying pincer move .
A Brit photographer has captured one of the world's most camera-shy species of fish - during a game of underwater peek-a-boo .