Jail for the pigeon fancying fraudster

A pigeon fancier who tried to wriggle out of paying £45,000 in business rates by forging documents purporting to be from his late tenant’s widow was jailed for 18 months. Rogue landlord William McCoy, 54, was being chased for monies owed on a shop and office he owned in Hammersmith, which had stood empty since the death of his former tenant. Business rates are payable on commercial properties even when they are empty, and although McCoy had obtained planning permission…