06/11 Football bosses sentenced for tax fraud

Football bosses sentenced for tax fraud



Two Boston United FC executives were today given suspended jail
sentences for tax fraud after an 18-month investigation by HM Revenue and
Customs (HMRC). Former Chairman Patrick Malkinson (65), and current Manager
Stephen Evans (44) pleaded guilty to Cheating the Public Revenue out of
£245,188 by the fraudulent evasion of Pay As You Earn Income Tax and
National Insurance Contributions over a four-year period.

Malkinson was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two
years, while Evans was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for
two years. In addition, the judge made a confiscation order for
£349,587 against Malkinson, representing the fraudulent amount, plus interest.
He must pay this within 12 months or serve three years in jail.
The fraud involved dishonestly disguising salary and wage payments as
untaxed, out of pocket expenses and the submission of false end of year
tax returns for the years 1997 to 2001. As a result, the club was able
to pay players and managers higher wages securing a competitive
advantage over rival clubs.

Statements provided by players indicated the existence of undisclosed
contracts, the existence of multiple contracts for the same players
covering the same period containing different contractual terms and the
fact that the players had provided no records of mileage which could
possibly found the basis for legitimate "reimbursement".

HMRC Group Director of London Criminal Investigation Graham Ranson
said:

"The law says that tax and National Insurance must be deducted from
employees' wages and the monies passed to HMRC. In this case wages were
paid but disguised as expenses and by their actions Messrs Malkinson and
Evans not only committed fraud but also achieved for Boston United an
unfair advantage over other clubs who operated within the law.
"HMRC take a serious view of those who commit tax fraud and this case
should serve as a deterrent to anyone considering such a course of
conduct."

Judge Goymer said:
"Fraud on the revenue is always a serious matter."
Malkinson was ordered to pay costs of £27,032 and Evans ordered to pay
costs of £1,000; both amounts must be paid within 12 months.
This case was successfully prosecuted by the Revenue & Customs
Prosecutions Office (RCPO). RCPO is an independent prosecuting authority that
reports to the Attorney General, and is responsible for the prosecution
of all HMRC cases in England and Wales.

14/08 Local Campaign against Grantham Hospital cuts to services

The people of Grantham are mounting a campaign against
the cuts to services at Grantham Hospital. They are having a protest
march in London 26 August 2006 and are delivering a petition of thousands of signatures to Downing Street. They want 200 people to join the march.
They have heard from people verbally but it is imperative that they
purchase their tickets before Saturday 19 August 2006. They are hiring
coaches and the tickets can be bought from Grantham Guildhall at the theatre desk - £12.00 per adult and £6.00 children.

ALSO

The people of Grantham are mounting a second campaign against
the cuts to services at Grantham Hospital
There will be a demonstration at the
Labour Party Conference in Manchester 27 September 2006 organised by Clare
Martin - fight4granthamhospital@hotmail.co.uk

14/08 Elizabethan landscape returns to Lincolnshire

Elizabethan landscape returns to Lincolnshire

A Grade I listed building has been put back in its original Elizabethan
setting thanks to Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) funding from
Defra, delivered by the Rural Development Service.

The 17th century estate at Doddington Hall, Lincolnshire, has been
transformed by reverting arable land to grass pasture more in keeping with
the environment when the hall was built in 1600.

Antony Jarvis, who lives at the mansion, inherited it from an unbroken
family residence dating back 400 years. He has already found that the
changes have had a beneficial effect on local wildlife.

Mr Jarvis, said:

"The work that we have been able to do as a result of receiving CSS
funding is work that traditionally and historically we have always carried
out on the land here. I believe that food production can be
successfully undertaken without damaging wildlife or the historic landscape.

"CSS closely matches my own ambitions for the environment: for instance
as an estate policy we had never removed hedges or hedgerow trees, and
an attractive wildlife environment has for the last eight years seen a
steady increase in bird, insect and other wildlife numbers and
diversity. Now, with much more attractive field margins and really substantial
areas of permanent grassland, we see a continuing return of lost
species, examples being the Brown Argus Butterfly and the scarce hobby, and
buzzards.

"There has also been a return of lapwing nesting in the fallow land we
have provided. Under the arable fallow option, this compliments our
growing of spring rather than winter beans to provide ideal nesting
conditions for these birds, which subsequently move in late summer to the
stewardship grassland.

"Introduction of spring beans instead of winter beans has encouraged
some neighbours to follow suit, and now we see a late summer assembly of
30 or 40 young lapwing on the estate, whereas less than ten years ago
there were none. "

Mr Jarvis has also created an open access strip and a bridle path so
that visitors can enjoy the surroundings. In addition a special project
has taken place to build a natural walkway over the Hobbs Dyke to allow
walkers to cross without introducing a built structure into the vista.

Work has also taken place to protect some ancient woodland SSSI sites
with grass margins and a network of hedges on the farm, some of which
are shown on the 1749 map of the estate, and create links between the
large areas of estate woodland.

The estate has now been passed on to Mr Jarvis's daughter, Claire
Birch, who is helping to turn the estate into an example of modern
sustainable farming. They are in the process of restoring their walled kitchen
garden to grow rare and heritage varieties of fruit and vegetables which
will be sold through a new farm shop and cafe along with a wide range
of local seasonal produce including a butchery from Phipps specialising
in regional rare breeds such as Lincoln Red beef. The new development,
and several other buildings including Doddington Hall itself, will have
carbon neutral heating and hot water provided by a large wood-chip
heating system which will be fuelled by thinnings from the estates
woodland. Harvested rainwater will be used to irrigate the kitchen garden,
toilets and washing up in the new court farm shop. The farm shop is due to
open for trading in summer 2007.

Claire said:

"A large historic house like this can be quite a drain on resources so
the new shop and cafe along with the wood-chip heating system and
rainwater harvesting will really help in terms of bringing in new income and
helping to save money, as well as providing a good example of
sustainable development and providing more for visitors to see and do when they
use the access around the grounds."

Carol Paterson, an adviser for the Rural Development Service in the
East Midlands, added:

"Doddington Hall is a Grade I listed building which has not been
altered externally since it was built in 1600. Antony Jarvis has worked
incredibly hard to enhance the setting of the Hall by putting in almost 17
hectares of recreated park grassland providing excellent views. His
genuine interest in conservation has shone through and resulted in a vast
increase in wildlife which is always great to hear about as it shows the
real impact this work has on the environment. By providing a low-level
access over the dyke Mr Jarvis has ensured that the public can
appreciate the work that has taken place without the view being interrupted by
an inappropriate-looking bridge."