A BUSINESSMAN is today awaiting sentence after he admitted tax fraud totalling £40,000.

York Crown Court heard that Jeffrey Mark Ionascu falsified his tax return claiming he was due a tax refund when in reality he owed the Government tax.

The 54-year-old businessman of Scoles Park Road, Scarborough, pleaded guilty to four charges of tax fraud committed between May 2015 and December 2018.

Sentence was adjourned while HM Revenue and Customs, who are prosecuting Ionascu, confirm how the Government will reclaim the money for the taxpayer.

Recorder Anthony Hawks indicated he would pass a suspended prison sentence and asked the probation service to prepare a pre-sentence report to help him decide the conditions of the suspended sentence.

Ionascu was released on bail. He will be sentenced on August 5.