UK Tax Lawyer Robert Venables Accused of Evading $2.7 Million in Tax at London Trial
Allegations and Trial Details
Prosecution's Claims Against Robert Venables
LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - A leading British tax lawyer evaded paying almost 2 million pounds ($2.7 million) in tax he owed on income from his legal work over seven years, prosecutors said on Wednesday at the start of his criminal trial.
Robert Venables is accused of cheating Britain's tax authority, HMRC, by dishonestly under-declaring his income for the tax years between 2014/15 and 2020/21, which he denies.
Venables' Background and Professional Standing
The 78-year-old became a barrister – a self-employed lawyer who represents clients in court as well as providing specialist legal advice – in 1973 and was appointed a Queen's Counsel, now King's Counsel, in 1990 as a recognition of his expertise.
Charges and Specific Allegations
He is charged with two counts of cheating the public revenue relating to how he declared his income from a partnership called the RVQC Partnership and a third count relating to a company called Citadel Limited.
Defense and Court Proceedings
Venables' Plea and Prosecutor's Statement
Venables has pleaded not guilty to all three charges, and as his trial began at London's Southwark Crown Court, prosecutor Julian Christopher told jurors: "There is no doubt in this case that Mr Venables did pay less tax than he should have done.
"But the issue for you to determine will be whether that may have been an honest mistake or whether he did so, as the prosecution allege, dishonestly."
Venables' Reputation and Relationship with HMRC
Christopher said Venables had built his reputation by representing taxpayers in dispute with HMRC and "saw himself as something of an adversary of HMRC".
Christopher told the jury the case was not about taking advantage of "loopholes" in order to pay less tax.
Distinction Between Tax Avoidance and Evasion
"Dishonestly paying less than you know you should be paying is not just tax avoidance, it is tax evasion ... it is cheating HMRC – and so all of us – of tax which you know you should be paying," Christopher said.
Trial Duration and Additional Information
Venables' trial is due to take up to seven weeks.
($1 = 0.7473 pounds)
(Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Alex Richardson)
