A tax adviser who defrauded a client out of more than £45,000 has been jailed.

Lana Laws, from Ramsgate, asked the victim to pay a large sum of money to his firm to cover a bill for capital gains tax which was due.

The client transferred £45,516 in good faith in May 2017 expecting the money to be sent onwards to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

But instead of settling his customer's tax bill, the 37-year-old took the money himself and it wasn't until almost two years later that the victim realised what had happened.

Almost two years later, in February 2019, the victim received a letter from HMRC showing the capital gains tax was still outstanding and, when he queried it, they told him the money had never been received.

Financial enquiries were carried out which confirmed that, within a month of Laws' firm receiving the money, it had in fact been transferred into other accounts and not sent on to the taxman.

The matter was taken to Kent Police and Laws, of York Street, refused to comment when interviewed under caution in September 2019.

"Laws not paying his client's tax bill has had a big impact on the victim..."

He later pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and was sentenced to two years and seven months in prison at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday.

Investigating officer DC Jason Lynch said: "To be defrauded by your accountant, someone you trust and pay to take care of your finances, is a significant abuse of trust. The victim in this case employed the services of Laws in good faith and was completely misled by him.

"Laws not paying his client's tax bill has had a big impact on the victim, both financially and emotionally. I am glad the court have recognised the seriousness of Laws' criminality and imposed a custodial sentence.

"We have officers dedicated to tackling offences like these to ensure people like Laws don't get away with such deception and, on this occasion, the offender has been convicted and sent to prison, where he'll have time to reflect on his actions."

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