A used car dealer already convicted of tax avoidence after failing to pay £1.1 million in taxes from his home-based retail operation has been jailed for three years.

Glenville John Hill, of Spout House Lane, Bromely, South Yorkshire, admitted tax fraud in December 2015 after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) discovered he sold more than 1,300 cars from his driveway, but failed pay any Income Tax, National Insurance or VAT.

The 57-year-old was sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid work in 2017 and ordered to repay £250,000 last year, but failed to do so.

Hill was jailed for three years during a hearing at Leeds Magistrates court on January 22 due to the breach of the courts' earlier confiscation order and will now serve his sentence knowing that he still owes the unpaid taxes.

Martin Lynagh, assistant director at the HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, said: “It is important that criminals like Hill don’t benefit from their crimes. That is why HMRC will always look to reclaim their criminal profits.

“Hill stole money which should have been used to fund our public services. Now he’s paying the price behind bars for failing to repay what he stole.

“But is doesn’t end there; Hill still owes the money and until he pays it the amount will increase as interest is added daily. 

“We will continue to pursue criminals like Hill who think stealing from taxpayers is acceptable. If you know of anyone committing VAT fraud you can report them by calling our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”

The HMRC said that Hill turned the driveway of his farmhouse into a makeshift forecourt and sold the cars over eight years.

But instead of registering his business with HMRC, he pocketed the money he should have paid in tax, National Insurance and VAT.

He was originally sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid work at Sheffield Crown Court in March 2017 and was handed a confiscation order for £250,000 at the same court in September 2018. Hill was told to repay the money within three months.

Now jailed, Hill’s debt remains and increases by £54.69 a day until paid, the HMRC said in a statement. The amount currently stands at more than £252,108. Hill has repaid £463.16.