Crawley tax cheat who funded '˜lavish' lifestyle jailed

A HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) spokesman said Hamauon Khan, 46, of Grace Road, Broadfield, pleaded guilty for tax fraud and child support offences after lying about his earnings.

Khan, who is also known as Billy Khan and Billy Love, claimed he was unemployed when he was actually a self-employed IT consultant for at least six years.

A HMRC spokesman said he lied about his earnings to avoid paying tax and National Insurance contributions of more than £170,000, adding: “Instead of paying his tax and child support, he spent the money to fund his lifestyle and purchased two properties – including his current home.”

Her Honour Judge Laing QC, jailed Khan for four years - two for the tax fraud and two for the child support offences - at Lewes Crown Court on June 23. She said: “For a period of nine years through sheer greed you failed to pay tax. Cheating the Revenue is a very serious offence. There has been sheer greed for a substantial period and you have used the money for your own benefit for a lavish lifestyle and foreign holidays.”

Khan was arrested in 2013 and pleaded guilty to the offences on September 4 2015 following a joint HMRC and Child Support Agency investigation.

It showed he failed to declare his earnings while working as a self-employed IT consultant since 2004 and failed to pay child maintenance payments of £48,094.47 to his former-partner for their child.

A HMRC spokesman said a confiscation will be sought to recover the proceeds of his crimes.

Colin Spinks, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “Khan has to pay the price for his deliberate attempts to steal money from UK taxpayers – money that could have been used to fund vital public services.

“Tax fraud will not be tolerated by HMRC and we urge anyone with information about those committing this type of crime to call our hotline on 0800 59 5000.”

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