Cartwright King Secure Acquittal in Tax Case

John Speight and latterly Sundeep Soor successfully defended a Director charged with various Tax offences in August 2017.

It was alleged that two years financial accounts failed to provide an accurate picture, such that there was a tax loss in terms of VAT and Corporation Tax in the sum of £130,000.00.  The Prosecution also alleged the use of forged documents. In October 2019, two years after being charged the prosecution finally agreed to offer no evidence before the trial started and not guilty verdicts were entered.

This case shows the crucial role of instructing the right expert on a case:-

1. Forensic accounting expertise was required to show that the prosecution forensic expert had not undertaken the detailed analysis needed to prove the prosecutions case and eventually both experts agreed that our client’s tax returns were not “materially misstated“.
2. The defence also deployed computer experts to show what was downloaded of the alleged forged document was complete and unadulterated.
3. Further forensic examination of documents has established that it is possible to pinpoint the model of laser printer used to print the documents and also that the indented impressions on a document that was sent with the alleged forged document was not the writing of our client.

Sundeep Soor, Director and Head of our Tax & Fraud department says:-

“This is a case that demonstrates CK’s tenacious attitude and refusal to accept the Prosecution version of events when all the odds are stacked against the client. Cartwright King’s ethos to challenge where appropriate and use skill and knowledge gained in practice to pick out the inconsistencies which might show that the Prosecution is brought on a false premise”.