A BUSINESSMAN who cheated the VAT man out of tens of thousands of pounds has been warned he is facing a jail term.

Harold Stuchbury admitted fleecing the Revenue out of more than £30,000 during a period of almost three years.

The 58-year-old created a number of bogus invoices from different companies as he carried out the fraud between March 2011 and January 2014.

Stuchbury pleaded guilty to one charge of being knowingly concerned in the evasion of tax when he appeared at Swindon Crown Court on Friday (sep 16).

He had pleaded not guilty to that and a second similar charge when he appeared before a judge in October last year.

But after he changed his plea to the first count prosecutors said they would not seek a trial on the allegation that he submitted false claims for repayment.

Stuchbury, of Gloucester Road, Malmesbury, admitted making the claims relating to VAT owed by company Nineteen 58 Ltd.

Andrew Hobson, defending, asked for the case to be adjourned so the probation service can compile a presentence report.

Judge Tim Mousley QC put the matter off to October 13 and released him on bail until then.

He said "You pleaded guilty to a very serious matter and sentencing guidelines indicate that a prison sentence is appropriate for the level of offending you have been involved in.

"In order to determine what should be the sentence I am going to adjourn the sentence so there can be a pre-sentence report.

"Do not take that as an indication that there will not be a custodial sentence. All sentencing options remain open to the judge who sentences you."