Oldham business owner could face further jail time for fraud

HMRC

A fraudster that owned a business in Oldham must repay almost £520,000 or he could face five more years in prison.

61- year old Anthony Knight of Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire, was jailed for three and a half years at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court in July 2018, after HM Revenue and Customes (HMRC) discovered he was operating an illegal fueled laundering plant.

Officers visited his business, Manor Oil Company Ltd on Buckstones Road in Oldham back in August 2016, and found the laundering plant in an outbuilding.

He must now pay back almost £520,000 within three months or face five more years behind the bars and still owe the money.

Officers found storage tanks, equipment and 2,500 litres of red diesel were seized from the unit.

24 tonnes of silica gel, which is used to strip the government markers from the diesel. A forsensic expert estimated the silica gel would be able to launder approximately one million litres of red diesel.

On Friday 26th April, Knight was ordered to repay £519,749 he made from crimes within three months.

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