A CROOKED accountant pocketed £358,283 cash paid by his clients in a tax fraud.

Stephen Love, 63, failed to pass on the VAT payments to HM Revenue and Customs and instead used it as cash flow for his business.

Love, a director of constuction firm J. B. A. Martin Ltd, of Aldershot, Hampshire, and of Wessex Accountants Ltd, which did the building company's books, was jailed after pleading guilty to the scam.

Richard Wilkinson, assistant director of HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service, said: “Stephen Love kept the VAT he charged his customers.

"As an accountant he should have known better, but he abused the position of trust his profession put him in to steal the money that should have been funding public services.

“Tax fraud will not be tolerated and HMRC is working to create a level playing field for legitimate local businesses who cannot compete with their criminal competitors.

“We urge anyone with information about people or businesses involved in tax fraud to contact our hotline on 0800-788887.”

Love, of High Street, Yenston, Templecombe, pleaded guilty to the fraudulent evasion of VAT when he appeared at Yeovil Magistrates' Court on July 12.

He was sentenced to two years and three months at Taunton Crown Court on Friday.

Judge David Ticehurst said: “You knew what you were doing as a fully-trained accountant.

"This was a serious offence and the criminal act has an impact on your family.”

Wessex Accountants was dissolved in February last year.