The Revenue took a sucker punch on tax owing on th

The Revenue took a sucker punch on tax owing on the promotions staged by Britain’s top sports promoter Frank Warren, a jury heard today (Tuesday).

A VAT fraud cost the public purse more than a total of pnds stlng 1.

9 million after exclusive broadcasting rights were sold to BSkyB and BBC Radio Five Live.

The evasion is alleged to have started after the ‘extremely lucrative’ pnds stlng 60 million contract with the satellite television channel was signed in April 1995.

At London’s Southwark Crown Court Alan Suckling, QC, prosecuting, said the contract involved Warren’s ‘impressive’ stable of fighters including Prince Naseem, Nigel Benn, and Frank Bruno.

Christopher Roberts, 50, of Erskine Road, Mistley, Essex, and formerly of Cooksmill Green, Chelsmford, Essex, denies committing one or more offences under the VAT Act 1994 between August 1995 and May 1996, in relation to Sports Network Ltd (SNL), a company he ran with Warren as a salaried consultant, although profits were to be shared evenly.

Roberts, and 49-year-old Warren, of Church Lane, Watton at Stone, Herts, and formerly of Hunsden, Herts, together deny committing one or more offences under the VAT Act between February 1996 and June

1997, in relation to Sports Network (Europe) – SNE – a company run in partnership.

Mr Suckling said Roberts as SNL ‘fraudulently evaded’ pnds stlng 750,000 in relation to SNL.

And he said both defendants evaded pnds stlng 1.

2 million through SNE.

At the start of the trial, which is expected to last six weeks, Judge Geoffrey Rivlin, QC, warned a jury of nine men and three women the case was likely to attract media coverage but their verdicts must be decided on evidence heard in court.

‘Mr Warren is a well known personality in the world of boxing,’ he said.

‘Just because someone is well known, it does not mean that you know them well.

I hope you will try the case on the evidence that you hear in court – and only on what you hear in court.

ends

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