West Coast tax offender sentenced and ordered to pay back stolen money

New Zealand taxpayers are to get their money back after a West Coast man was sentenced to seven months home detention and ordered to repay the tax he stole.

Inland Revenue Group Manager for Investigations and Advice, Patrick Goggin said Trent Michael Francis Ilton was a tax cheat who purposely lied to avoid paying his fair share.

“I’m delighted honest taxpayers will get back what is rightly theirs,” said Mr Goggin. “When people try and cheat the tax system their actions deny others money that pays for services like our schools and police.

“Ilton not only attempted to rip off $77,902 of tax, he constantly tried to delay the case and perverted the course of justice.

“When it came to his own personal GST filing, Ilton gave false information to claim fictitious expenses. He also failed to file GST and income tax returns for his aerial and satellite dish installation business,” he said.

When asked by Inland Revenue investigators where the money to pay for $300,000 of expenditure he had claimed in his GST returns had come from, Ilton said it was money he had saved and put into a friend’s bank account.

“Even when ordered by a judge in 2012 to supply the bank account holders name or face prison, Ilton continued lying and gave a false name,” said Mr Goggin.

“Inland Revenue trusts taxpayers to do the right thing and most do but Ilton was set on claiming money he had no right to,” he said.

Ilton, who now lives in Christchurch, was sentenced at Christchurch District Court yesterday after pleading guilty to 18 charges including tax evasion and perverting the course of justice. He was also given 300 hours of community service.

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