Gamble on appeal falls flat

An unemployed technical designer’s 15-year crusade against the ‘criminal actions’ of the Inland Revenue’s office in Goole, East Yorkshire, suffered a setback last week.

In a published decision special commissioner Nicola Brice dismissed Stefan Gamble’s claim for relief in his assessment for 1984/1985 on losses incurred in 1982/1983 and 1983/1984. But the commissioner did discharge tax assessments amounting to #2,163.25 for 1989/1990 and 1990/1991.

Gamble alleged criminal acts by the Revenue, including sedition. He said the Revenue’s actions amounted to sedition under the accepted definition ‘to create discontent or disaffection or to bring the government, the laws or constitution into hatred and contempt’.

The commissioner ruled the allegations were beyond her jurisdiction.

Gamble confirmed last week he had lodged an appeal against the special commissioner’s decision not to award him costs arising from the 25 February hearing.

The dispute dated back to 1985, when Gamble said the Goole office erroneously denied relief against losses incurred in his first year of self-employment.

After failing to inform him of his right of appeal in August 1985, Gamble alleged the Goole office tried to cover up its mistake with ‘an ever-decreasing spiral of more serious errors’ aimed at coercing him into accepting its decision.

Gamble was offered an amended Revenue assessment and received a #250 compensation order from the adjudicator in 1996. He rejected both.