Oswestry fraudster pictured enjoying the fruits of his crime in Egypt
Soaking up the sun on a yacht and riding a camel in Egypt, this is fraudster Alan Devere enjoying the fruits of his crimes.
While Devere happily posed for photographs on foreign holidays, the taxpayer was helping to foot the bill.
Devere, 51, from Oswestry, this week admitted stealing £41,741 in fraudulent VAT repayments and attempting to steal a further £13,052, during June 2009 and March 2012.
Formerly known as Alan Dembinsk, and until recently living at Artillery Road, Park Hall, Oswestry, Devere was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work.
He claimed he stole the money in desperation after getting into financial difficulties with his mortgage repayments.
But today HM Revenue and Customs released photographs of him looking tanned and relaxed on foreign holidays in Africa, Crete and Mallorca.
Today Adrian Farley, Assistant Director of criminal Investigation for HMRC, said: "Devere tried to cheat the system by faking his trading records and used the proceeds of his crime to fund holidays. He had no conscience about committing this crime which he carried out for three years."
Trading as PC Solutions in Oswestry, Devere repaired home computer and software systems. But when HM Revenue and Customs examined his accounts they discovered two purchase invoices had been incorrectly input on his VAT return to substantially increase their value.
One invoice for £144.98 was declared as being £14,498 and another for £475 as £47,500.
He also falsely claimed to have spent £25,000 on advertising and £19,000 on flights as part of his job.
