Proves where the gov'ts priorities are
Steal money from the Gov't and they will lock you up for life.
Abuse or kill a child and you will be out in 3-5 years.
Long live the New World Order.
A convicted VAT fraudster has been ordered to pay Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs £26m or serve an extra ten years in prison. Craig Johnson is already serving 12-and-a-half years for his part in a missing trader or carousel fraud which defrauded the Revenue of £138m. The confiscation order means Johnson must cough up £8m …
(Continuing tirade from another post)
Of course, it would probably help if the perps contributed to party funds, lobbied politicians or were on handshake terms with MPs.
That way, like the banks and finance sector, they would probably be thanked for their initiatives, awarded government grants with bundles of public funds as an encouragement to legitimize their business?
As none of these hold well, it looks like prison for the perps.
Now then, for the banks and finance sector.
Has anyone conducted a criminal investigation or a national security investigation with a view to confiscating assets, property, goods and chattels of the various organisations, executives and leading bonus earners?
(I thought not. It may be amazing what "influence" can purchase?)
Our cousins over the pond have some notions of "enemy within" and :anti-America activity" but here in the UK ... ?
Exactly what I thought when I heard this on Radio 4 news.
It appears to be a minor offence for the UK populace to rape, muder or otherwise harm each other, no real crime done there. But deprive the government of some tax and expect the severest of punishment. As Alan L pointed out, he shouldn't have been so selfish. If he had made some contribution to the government coffers, he might have got off with a severe talking to, or some excessive finger wagging.
Have you not been reading the news lately?
Take a personal picture of your significant other having some fun and you are in the jail and on the Sex Offenders Register.
Take a photo somewhere near to a child and much the same happens.
Anyway, good luck to the Treasury, this was out and out fraud and deserves to be punished hard.
<- Bill, 'cos he deserves a bit of punishment too, and not the sexy kind either.