Conman takes £50,000 flying lessons after swindling tax man for £243,000
Kieran Farrer, 39, of Carlisle was jailed for over four years for his acts of persistent prolific fraud and has 104 previous convictions
A STRUGGLING businessman blew £50,000 on flying lessons after swindling £243,000 from the taxman.
Keiran Farrer, 39, also pocketed £41,000 in disability allowance claiming he was wheelchair-bound but was filmed pushing a trolley round a supermarket.
A court heard he tricked the taxman with made-up VAT returns for three years. The dad of two ran a failing car hire firm but claimed to have paid suppliers £2million.
Prosecutor Brendan Burke said: “He enjoyed a prolific amount of flying lessons.
"There is evidence of a lavish lifestyle, expensive holidays.”
Farrer, of Carlisle, admitted VAT and benefit fraud at the city’s crown court.
most read in uk news
Judge Peter Hughes heard he had 104 previous convictions and recognised him from a fraud case in 2014.
The judge said: “You appeared in a wheelchair. I didn’t know at that time the full extent of your dishonesty.”
He jailed Farrer for 4½ years.