2007 media releases

"Not a lot" of effort to pay taxes results in jail term for tax evasion
6 May 2007

A Waitakere man was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment yesterday (3 May) after pleading guilty to tax evasion totalling nearly $150,000.

The self-employed courier driver had told Inland Revenue investigators that he'd put letters from the tax department "in a pile", and had made "not a lot" of effort to sort out his GST and income tax returns.

Peter William Bicknell, 36, of Titirangi, was facing 73 charges of failing to account for income tax and GST, and failing to file income tax and GST returns.  He was also ordered to pay $1500 solicitor's costs and given leave to apply for home detention.

The Waitakere District Court heard that Bicknell registered for GST in February 1999, but had not paid any tax on his self-employed income or on GST collected over the eight years since then. The amount involved totalled $143,389.83.

Bicknell was interviewed by Inland Revenue at the end of 2005 and admitted that he knew he must file returns and pay income tax and GST owing.  He told the interviewers that he had received many letters from Inland Revenue about his overdue taxes, but he said he had "put them in a pile".  When asked what efforts he had made to file the returns that were outstanding, he replied "Not a lot".

Tracey Lloyd, of Inland Revenue, said Inland Revenue owed it to the vast majority of honest taxpayers who do comply with their tax obligations to make sure that rogue operators are brought to account.

"The prison term was a fair outcome, given the amount of tax evaded over such a long period." said Ms Lloyd, Area Manager Investigations.

"Taxes are used to fund schools, hospitals, and other government and community services," she said. "Everybody has to pay their share."

For further information contact:

Alison Welch

04 890 1698

Other media releases this year

• Draft guidelines released for new R&D tax credit
• Man extradited from Australia to face tax charges
• Working for Families Tax Credits to be made early
• Inland Revenue alerts tax professionals
• 'Money man' behind major tax scam jailed
• Third conviction in Rawleigh tax evasion case
• Samoan chief receives two years' home detention
• Early working for families tax credits scheduled
• Cash businesses are in the spotlight
• Inland Revenue transfers first KiwiSaver funds to scheme providers
• Late filers advised to contact Inland Revenue
• Wellington Inland Revenue staff to centralise
• Christchurch businessman fined $20,000 on tax charges
• Hamilton JP jailed for two years for $1.1 million tax evasion
• Businessman pleads guilty to $1.3 million in tax charges
• Jail term extended for Tauranga tax evader
• Inland Revenue offers Language Line
• Inland Revenue wins prestigious IT award
• Inland Revenue simplifies tax with Business Is Booming
• Inland Revenue reassures people affected by weather
• Customers urged to contact Inland Revenue
• Inland Revenue issues GST statement on unconditional property sale agreements
• KiwiSaver information readily available from Inland Revenue
• Scott Anderson bankrupted for unpaid debt of $13 million
• Inland Revenue welcomes 'Trinity' court ruling
• Christchurch tourism operators' concern leads to community service for tax evader
• Inland Revenue welcomes prison sentence for GST fraud
• Levin man sent to jail over $45,000 in GST fraud
• Businessman who "undercut the opposition" jailed for tax fraud
• Accountant's low profits prompted tax audit
• Tiler in court for keeping staff tax payments
• Northland flood victims should call if having problems with tax payments
• Tax agent fined $10,000 for refusing to cooperate with Inland Revenue
• Early Working for Families Tax Credits payments
• Nelson man in court for not passing on employees' tax payments
• Tax season underway
• Businesses foolish to try to suppress details of income
• Dairy owner in court for cheating on taxes over seven years
• Two years' prison for 146 tax offences
• Refusing to cooperate with Inland Revenue lands couple in court
• Prison sentence upholds integrity of tax system, says Inland Revenue
• Early family assistance payments
• Tax payments due on 7 February

more media releases ›

Corporate Affairs
Inland Revenue

To make a media query:
Phone 04 890 1698 or email mediaqueries@ird.govt.nz
Please note, the email address is only for enquiries from the news media. It is monitored during normal business hours 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday.

P O Box 2198
Wellington 6140
New Zealand

Date published: 04 May 2007

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