Robert Rhodes QC speaks on Tax Evasion

Robert Rhodes QC was the first speaker at the joint Revenue Bar Association / Criminal Bar Association seminar on tax evasion, held earlier this week.

Robert spoke about the Revenue’s approach to tax evasion, and how it had become much more prosecution-oriented than in the 10 years when he had been Standing Counsel to the Inland Revenue before taking silk.

He discussed the civil and criminal paths that the Revenue took, and their consequences. He also dealt with the Revenue disclosure facilities for errant taxpayers, including the Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility which, over its 6 years of existence, raised billions of pounds for the Revenue.

He also warned of the government’s substantial toughening of approach in this year’s Finance Bill:

• Strengthening civil deterrents for offshore tax evaders.
• Implementing civil sanctions for enablers of offshore tax evasion.
• Introducing criminal prosecution for offshore evaders.
• Introducing a corporate criminal offence of failure to prevent the facilitation of evasion.
• Introducing a new penalty of 60% of tax due, to be charged in all cases successfully counteracted by the General Anti-Abuse Rule introduced in the 2012 Finance Act.

News 11 Apr, 2016