As the state and other organisations often warn, credit cards and the debt that their owners rack up can be dangerous.
It is not just ordinary members of the public that are tempted into debt by these little slithers of plastic, but also a manager within HMRC.
Accountancy Age reports that a member of HMRC's management was suspended last August and has now been sacked, following an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
It seems that she is alleged to have spent over £10K using HMRC corporate credit cards, both her own corporate card and those assigned to her team.
Allegations were put to her last year about the withdrawals, she claimed that some of the transactions were used to pay intelligence sources and others to maintain a petty cash float in her unit.
The IPCC was not impressed with her defence, and stated that her version of events was "inherently implausible" (ie bollocks).
The case was passed on to the Crown Prosecution Service. However, for reasons that are unclear, no criminal charges were ever brought. Instead a disciplinary hearing was held, and she was fired.
The IPCC reviewed procedures over the use of cards in the manager's unit, and expressed serious concerns credit cards could be used with such a frequency undetected over a 12-month period. The unit did not have adequate systems in place, the petty cash procedures were lax and there was no real audit process.
The IPCC has recommended regularly changing codes to room and cupboard locks, and ensuring all accounting within the unit could demonstrate a clear and accountable audit process. It also suggested HMRC "share learning" from the case with its other units.
I trust and assume that HMRC are equally understanding and supportive when they visit SME's that HMRC regard as having less than perfect financial controls and reporting!
Tax does have to be taxing.
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Here it is in all of its glory
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ipcc.gov.uk/news/pages/pr_210812_hmrc.aspx
Now you know why HMRC accounts have recently been 'qualified' by the NAO for year after year. You have to wonder at the quality of the computer and other systems they have in place to monitor this sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a slip of a lad in the old Inland Revenue back in the 1980s this sort of spending was watched like a hawk by the powers that be and woe betide anyone who could not account for every penny and produce the invoices to prove it. It seems that such rigour was fired with most of the old staff who practiced it.
IPCC states individual was a controller, bearing in mind the previous press and HMIC reports in relation to Humint, handlers etc. has anyone considered the implications of this revelation?
ReplyDeleteAnd the name of this member of staff is?
ReplyDeleteEven if I knew it I would not identify the individual, however basic research on open source information will tell you it was alledgedly a female controller, end of.
DeleteSo what was the point of making that post then?
DeleteI want to know the name of the person who has been stealing my hard earned money.
And I do not accept that they left or where removed just on an allegation.
Weite to your MP then, or you could try HMRC but unless the individual is one of those on the 2 lost discs they are unlikely to tell you, IPCC obviously won't wither.
DeleteTrouble is you is going off plot somewhat and should be more concerned about the job the individual held and the implications for miscarriages of justice at very least.
Think laterally on this one, it will pay dividends, go read the HMIC reports as suggested as a starter, you might worry less about your money then.