Thursday 14 December 2017

HMRC Gamekeeper Turned Poacher Convicted


Laura Southern, a former HMRC worker has been convicted of “the very crime” she was paid to detect - after cheating the taxpayer out of £34,000.

BelfastLive reports that Southern lied about living with her partner to claim tax credits.

Southern, from Clonmore Park in Lisburn, Co Antrim worked as a HMRC Benefits and Credits Compliance Manager in Belfast “checking for fraudulent tax credits claims”.

Southern for five years “falsely claimed to be a single parent, while living with her partner”.

Joff(CORR) Parsons, Assistant Director, Internal Governance, HMRC, said she “was employed to track down people committing the very crime she has been convicted of”.

He added:
She knew exactly what she was doing and even though she knew it was wrong, thought she could get away with stealing tax credits she wasn’t entitled to. But her deceit was exposed and now she is paying the price.

We expect the highest professional standards and integrity from our staff; no one is exempt and we will pursue criminals like Southern who think it is acceptable to steal tax credits. We ask anyone with information about tax fraud to contact the HMRC Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”
Southern was given a 15 month prison sentence, suspended for three years, at Craigavon Crown Court on Tuesday, December 12 after pleading guilty to being knowingly concerned in fraudulent activity with a view to obtaining payments of tax credits, contrary to Section 35 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 and to cheating the public revenue.

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9 comments:

  1. Always very satisfying to see criminals face justice, no matter who they are, and no matter their background.

    The rule of law relies on equality of application...but if only HMRC agreed in all circumstances.

    I commend the work of Internal Governance on this case but I am disturbed that when I was the victim of an HMRC bully (as an HMRC employee at the time), committing a criminal offence sending their rogue boyfriend round to my home, leaving me severely worried for my security and that of others in my household, there was not an independent investigation. Nor were other instances involving the manager and her lies investigated.

    The culprit did vaguely admit EVENTUALLY what they had done, but only after discussions with a Grade 6 & 7 manager, who tried to further bully me, and they invented a story to excuse the misconduct. The legal opinion was this was entirely unlawful but HMRC covered it all up.

    My local MP sent a letter to Jon Thompson and to say he took no action against the wrongdoer would be an understatement. He did however attempt to smear with deliberately misleading comments he made.

    I contacted Mr Thompson's office to discuss his comments and spoke with individuals who were aggressive towards me. Eventually I was told that someone would call me back. They never did.

    I made a Subject Access Request. They sent documents which included numerous false statements and also sensitive information relating to third parties. Both issues are unlawful according to the Data Protection Act. HMRC failed to respond.

    In summary, good work in detecting the tax credit criminal, but to address a question asked about working for HMRC recently: DON'T DO IT!! There are too many liars, cheats and nasty & cowardly bullies. It is not a safe or healthy place to earn a living.

    You cannot trust that organisation - their even continued to bully me as a taxpayer since I was forced out several years ago. One day evidence so compelling will emerge about their whopping lies and false statements, that there'll be no place for them to hide...

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  2. As public service pay and pensions have deteriorated as a result of the pay freeze, which seems not to include politicians, and changes to civil service pensions I'm afraid that one can expect more HMRC staff to engage in whatever "fiddles" they might be able to implement. Soon the UK Home Civil Service will fall to the standards common in other jurisdictions where persons join not for the pay but for what is available on the side.

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    1. With the greatest respect to people still working for HMRC, the standards of professionalism & integrity have generally dropped over the last decade or so.

      It is cultural and there are many reasons. Part of the problem is too many clueless fast track graduates occupying senior positions in management and HR. It's a "me, me, me" attitude from the top which sadly filters down to some on the front line. Would never have happened in the days of Inland Revenue and C&E. Very sad.

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    2. @13:52 Sorry...complete bollox....99.9% of HMRC staff might feel aggrieved at poor pay and conditions...but they wouldn't turn to fraud...this individual is a criminal scumbag and not representative of us doing the best we can.

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    3. @19.51 'Part of the problem is too many clueless fast track graduates occupying senior positions in management and HR. It's a "me, me, me" attitude from the top which sadly filters down to some on the front line.'

      This is so, so true. The reliable and honest workers are looked upon as being a bit simple and soft for having too much pride and conscience to sink to the levels where they 'play the game'.

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  3. And sadly another one here on a larger scale. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/crime/scots-tax-worker-stole-24million-11678017

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    1. Makes you wonder what on earth goes on in HMRC?

      They bully people for working too hard, going to the toilet, being ill because HMRC thugs have made them ill, having the wrong hair colour etc, but right under their noses they have lazy individuals who are mates with managers doing sweet FA each day right through to criminality ranging from harassment to large scale theft.

      HMRC is all wrong.

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  4. If you are a good tightrope walker hmrc is the place for you. If not stay away. You can usually find something on anyone if you look hard enough . Holier than thou hypocrites will always be round the next corner.

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    1. @ 07:49 16/12. Very succinct advice to potential HMRC employees. These corrupt people will stop at nothing if they decide to target you - they will fabricate documents reinventing the truth and will cover for law breaking managers (I have documents which HMRC falsified and which will make them blush if ever I put them in the public domain). Cowardly, nasty & dangerous scumbags. Stay away indeed.

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