A FRAUDSTER who funnelled hundreds of thousands of pounds through Jersey banks in an effort to hide his crimes and fought against his extradition to the Island has been jailed.<\/p>\n
Martin Hill (58) had issued false VAT receipts while he ran two hotels in the Isle of Wight, instead pocketing the cash himself. He was caught after he applied for a tax rebate, which the court heard he was not able to justify, prompting an HMRC investigation.<\/p>\n
He was jailed by Southwark Crown Court in 2019 and asked to repay \u00a3550,000 for the offences.<\/p>\n
The six charges of money laundering in Jersey related to the same fraudulent funds.<\/p>\n
Hill spoke to the court directly, telling them: \u201cI fully accept what I have done. I committed these offences and I stand before you waiting to be sentenced and would like to bring these matters to an end. I fully accept everything that I have done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Advocate Paul Nicholls, defending, asked for Hill to receive a suspended sentence \u2013 which he said would be proportional as he had already been punished in England, and would take into account his mitigation.<\/p>\n
He added that his client has serious health issues and, far from living a life of luxury, his family depended on Hill working to pay the mortgage on their house in Spain.<\/p>\n
After proceedings in Jersey started, he fought against his extradition in the Spanish courts, claiming that, as he had already served a prison sentence in the UK, further prosecution amounted to double jeopardy.<\/p>\n
The Bailiff, Robert MacRae, presiding, told Hill the offences were too serious for a suspended sentence.<\/p>\n
He described Hill\u2019s crimes as a \u201cprofessional\u201d money-laundering operation, which involved the use of multiple bank accounts to hide the proceeds of VAT fraud, buying and selling a flat and moving the money to Spain.<\/p>\n
The Jersey accounts, he said, had been opened while Hill knew he was under investigation by HMRC.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cWe agree that sentencing in Jersey for money-laundering should encompass a strong deterrent element, as Jersey is an international finance centre which is zealous in upholding its strong reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n
To use Jersey\u2019s banking system to launder the proceeds of crime committed \u201canywhere in the world is unacceptable and will not be tolerated\u201d, he added.<\/p>\n
Hill was jailed for a total of 21 months for six counts of converting or transferring criminal property, one count of possession of criminal property, one count of removing criminal property from Jersey.<\/p>\n
The Bailiff was presiding with Jurats Christensen and Powell sitting.<\/p>\n
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