Devon accountants jailed
Length jail terms for role in builders' tax scam
Two accountants, Paul Duncan, 36, from Willand, near Tiverton, Devon and
Kevin O’Connor, 45 from Sandford, Crediton, Devon have been jailed over their
role in a multi-million pound building scam.
The pair helped builders avoid £4.5m in tax bills in just three years.
Duncan was convicted of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and conspiracy
to launder money between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2002 and was jailed
for six years at Blackfriars Crown Court, London while O’Connor admitted his
role in the plot and was jailed for two years.
During the trial the court had heard how O’Connor laundered £350,000 in an
offshore bank account in Cyprus while Duncan, a former Royal Marine, used his
take to pay for an £80,000 house extension and set up a new office in Plymouth.
He also enjoyed extravagant family holidays to New York.
Duncan ran the Churchill and Co accountancy firm in Crediton, Devon.