Following yesterday's acquittal of Harry Redknapp and Milan Mandaric and the failure (at a cost of £8M) of HMRC to win their argument that Redknapp and Mandaric had evaded tax, there has been something of a falling out between HMRC and the City of London Police.
The Telegraph reports that the City of London Police have laid the blame for the failure at the door of HMRC.
The City of London Police issued a statement:
“The case followed an HMRC investigation, which began after an earlier City of London Police inquiry identified possible tax related offences and referred the matter to the HMRC.
City of London Police respects the verdicts of the jury.
Officers will sometimes uncover evidence of potential tax offences, which we will pass on to the HMRC. We have supported the HMRC throughout this investigation and will continue to work closely with them in the future.”
HMRC, for their part, stated that they regretted nothing. Chris Martin, assistant director of criminal investigations at HMRC, said:
"We have no regrets about pursuing this case because it was vitally important that the facts were put before a jury for their consideration.
We accept the verdict of the jury but I would like to remind those who are evading tax by using offshore tax havens that it always makes sense to come forward and talk to us before we come to talk to you.”
Given that Redknapp and Mandaric have been acquitted of tax evasion, why are HMRC still implying that tax evasion took place and using the trial as a warning to those who actually evade tax?
Tax does have to be taxing.
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"We accept the verdict of the jury but I would like to remind those who are evading tax by using offshore tax havens that it always makes sense to come forward and talk to us before we come to talk to you.”
ReplyDeleteAnd how would you recommend people get in touch? telephone, ring or telepathy?
In this football mad country no jury would convict Rednapp. As no jury would convict Gerrard for GBH.
ReplyDeleteI have just read the judge's summing up (an extract from it to be exact). Can anyone tell me if it is usual or even allowable for a judge to be so, shall we say, favourable about a defendent? You hear of cases where the jury are not allowed to even know that the man before them is a convicted rapist - yet the judge highlights Redknapp's good character and lack of previous offences. He also said that Mandaric's silence at interview should not be held against him, which I thought was no longer necessarilly the case now? Surely he should have said you may ask yourselves why he refused to answer? Finally he pointed out that inconsistencies in their accounts may be due to time lapsed since the events. It all seems very cosy?
ReplyDeleteIf they where not allowed to be positive about defendants who are found not guilty then what right would they got to make some of the statements they do about people who are found guilty?
DeleteSorry I should have been clearer - this was in his summing up before the jury went out to consider their verdict! That said your reading of it perhaps enforces how wrong it might have been!
Deletel bet behind closed doors the loss of this case has the HMRC rattled.
ReplyDeleteI doubt it, they may pretend it was a just a show case to get people to think about whether they should be declaring overseas accounts or not but other than that I doubt they care.
DeleteHMRC as arrogant as ever...in their eyes they can do no wrong.
ReplyDeleteSo you expect the Police & the CPS to apologise everytime they lose a case in court? Of course not, so why HMRC? They thought there was a case to answer, after all Harry admitted not disclosing the bank account, and not telling his accountant about it. Perhaps Harry should apologise, beacuse it was due to his mistakes taxpayers money was wasted on the case. Oh, and before you all start moaning, I don't work for HMRC.
DeleteQuite right. And I think the reason poor Harry, who apparently can't really read or write, use a computer or read e-mails, or even text properly,got off, is that there were some of the normal anti HMRC mouth breathers, taking some time off posting here, on the jury.
DeletePitiful. Redknapp is clearly a liar.
Just think, that tax you claim he avoided could be what costs you your job. Then we can all laugh at you even more.
DeleteEh? What a sad little person you are.
DeleteYep, you'll all be laughing like fuck when loads more HMRC staff are made redundant. And service levels improve. Working out well so far,that,isn't it. LOL.
DeleteAnd yet not sad enough to be thinking about HMRC over the weekend.
ReplyDeleteClearly you've been waiting all weekend to post that on a Monday.
Delete