Don't riot, commit fraud instead

[Vague_Boy]

I've frequently mentioned the case of Nicolas Robinson, a college student with no previous criminal record, who was jailed for 6 months for stealing £3.50 worth of bottled water during the recent rioting in Brixton.

 

Nicolas Robinson, 23, of Borough, south-east London, carried out the “opportunistic” theft at a Lidl supermarket in Brixton as he walked home from his girlfriend’s house.

 

Robinson threw away the water and ran when he was confronted by police but was arrested and quickly admitted what he had done.

 

His solicitor told Camberwell Magistrates’ Court had “got caught up in the moment” and was “incredibly ashamed”.

LINK

 

Now theft is theft but for such a small amount and for someone with no criminal record, was 6 months really appropriate? Not even a suspended sentence.

 

Anyhoo, the recent case of Doncaster man Mark Lawton provides an interesting comparison.

 

(Mr. Lawton pleaded guilty and has now been sentenced in case the mods are worried about legal complications.)

 

 

Dodger jailed for acquiring £2m property portfolio through fraud

 

A Doncaster man, who acquired a £2million property portfolio, including luxury properties in Tenerife and across South Yorkshire, through fraud has been jailed for two years at Sheffield Crown Court yesterday.

 

Investigations revealed that Mark Lawton, 45, from Town Moor in Doncaster had committed a series of frauds from which he amassed a significant property portfolio. He owned 17 properties in Tenerife and across Doncaster, which were rented out, but for which he didn’t declare any profits. He also lied about his financial circumstances to obtain a loan by deception, as well as providing false income details in order to claim the education maintenance allowance for his son.

 

Although Lawton also owned the extensive property portfolio he had claimed that his family’s small tanning salon business only made him an income of around £10,000 per year. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) estimate that Lawton had defrauded the taxpayer out of £65,000 in unpaid taxes alone.

 

Lawton was caught when HMRC seized 10,000 illegal cigarettes which he had been selling and £50,000 in cash stored at his home and business premises. He was found guilty of fraud and failing to pay tax on his business profits.

 

Lawton pleaded guilty to charges of cheating the public revenue, evasion of excise duty and possession of criminal property (£50,000 cash). He was sentenced yesterday to 24 months imprisonment for cheating the public revenue, three months imprisonment for the evasion of excise duty - sentences to run concurrently. £50,420 cash was forfeited to the Crown for the charge of possession of criminal property. Lawton was also ordered to pay £10,000 in costs.

 

Lawton’s wife Christina was convicted of fraudulently claiming the education maintenance allowance for their children. The couple’s accountant Joanne Outram, 42, from Rossington was also convicted of helping the couple to prepare false documentation, to facilitate their claim for the education maintenance allowance payments.

 

“Lawton made a significant effort to hide his business dealings from the authorities. He enjoyed the benefits of our public services and lived a lifestyle that many families work hard to achieve, but his activity was stealing vital public revenue. It is only fair to those hard working families that he has been brought to justice.”

LINK

 

Now this guy has committed persistent and multiple frauds, including lying to the Inland Revenue and false documentation. He even sold illegal ciggies!

 

Now by my reckoning, if stealing £3.50 gets you 6 months, this guy should be going to jail for 9,285 years.

 

So really, the message being sent out by our corrupt judicial system is this. If you're going to steal, make sure that you are [a] middle-class, a businessman and [c] steal a lot. I mean a lot. No half measures.

[Stan Tamudo]

Silly sod, Lawton should have just based his wife in a tax haven and declared the real profits there. He could have then joined this forum hailed himself as a wealth creator and told any critics that their jealous of him for being successful.

[mj.scuba]

Also, don't hurt peoples feeling with a bit of verbal abuse, kick the **** out of them instead for a lighter sentance.

[Mr Gobby]

I agree with what your saying, people who commit fraud tend to get a light sentence.If your going to make crime a career then that's the way to go