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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Oliver Clay

'Selfish' gambling addict duped nearly £14k out of HMRC in tax rebate scam

HMRC Simon Berkson Government Gateway Stuart Mills Police

A gambling addict defrauded nearly £14,000 in a tax rebate scam by abusing his position of trust while tasked with overseeing payments to self-employed security guards.

Dean Townsend, 28, of Parkers Court, Runcorn, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to one count of fraud over the ruse, which took place in 2020.

Philip Clemo, prosecuting, said Townsend had taken a job in which he was responsible for handling the admin to pay self-employed security guards as part of contracts for looking after homeless people in hotels.

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