Northampton: Two appear in court on VAT fraud charges

Howard Grossman was picked up by a car outside Northampton Magistrates' Court after the hearing

Two men have appeared before Northampton Magistrates' Court charged with Value Added Tax (VAT) fraud.

Howard Grossman, who gave his address as Caldecote Gardens in Bushey, Hertfordshire, and Sharad Bhimjiyani, of Headstone Lane in Harrow, north-west London, did not enter pleas.

Both are accused of four counts of making false VAT returns between January and September 2014.

They will next appear before Northampton Crown Court on 31 July.

The four counts are in relation to VAT statements submitted on behalf of a company called 1st Land Ltd.

The counts allege that for three annual quarters between August 2013 and August 2014, the pair stated 1st Land owed zero VAT and that the company made zero sales.

Another count alleges that for the quarter covering December 2013 and February 2014, a false figure was provided for the amounts 1st Land Ltd owed in VAT.

It is alleged the pair contravened Section 72(3)(A) and (4) of the Value Added Tax Act 1994.

An application by Mr Grossman, 62, for reporting restrictions, which was supported by Mr Bhimjiyani, 67, was rejected by District Judge Amar Mehta.

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