The boss of a plumbing firm who cheated the taxman out of almost £94,000 has been jailed for two years.

David Hoskin submitted false VAT returns in that amount and tried to claim a VAT repayment of £19,361 for a business he did not run.

The 58-year-old heating engineer, of Highland Road, Maidstone, claimed sums on behalf of his company DHPC Plumbing Contractors Ltd over a two-year period.

The fraud was discovered when HMRC inspectors investigated his claim for VAT repayments for refurbishment work carried out at a disused nightclub in the town.

The Babylon Bar, in King Street, was registered for VAT in the name of one of Hoskin’s daughters.

Repayments were sought in March and April 2015, Maidstone Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Bridget Todd said the money represented “purchases and other inputs” for renovation work said to be needed before the club reopened.

But it was discovered the club had not been occupied since January 2014, no work had taken place, and Hoskin’s only connection to the club was he once expressed an interest in leasing it.

“There was absolutely nothing to indicate this defendant had a genuine connection with the Babylon Bar,” said Miss Todd.

As a result, HMRC did not pay.

Miss Todd said of the false VAT returns, for which seven out of eight were paid: “He knowingly submitted false returns claiming repayments of huge sums he wasn’t entitled to.

“His business could not support the amount of expenditure and his claims were false from the outset.”

Hoskin admitted two offences of submitting false VAT returns between July 2013 and June 2015, and one of cheating the public revenue between January and May 2015.

He had 12 previous convictions for 56 offences, 26 of which were for fraud, including claiming he worked for British Gas and that he held Gas Safe regulation certificates.

He was jailed for 21 months in March 2012 for carrying out boiler replacement work when his safety qualifications had lapsed.

Recorder James Dawson said Hoskin had “a very chequered past”.

Confiscation proceedings will be held to try to recover the losses.

Danny Moore, defending, said Hoskin’s “modest” family home worth £200,000 would have to be sold to pay back the money.

The businessman, he said, suffered financially when customers let him down.