A FRAUDSTER who lived a life of luxury after stealing almost £300,000 in taxpayers' money by setting up three bogus butchers was today beginning four years behind bars.

Butcher Shaun David Stockhill, 34, was described in court as "greedy, selfish and ruthless" after he admitted creating non-existent traders in the names of characters from the TV cartoon hit The Simpsons.

York Crown Court heard how together with his wife Lyn-Marie, 33, he falsely claimed £292,000 in VAT over two years after his legitimate chain of butcher franchises hit the rocks.

He was claiming up to £18,000 every month and he spent the cash on home improvements and high living as well as trying to pay £25,000 cash for a new Jaguar X-Type at a York dealership.

Recorder Keith Miller told the couple, of Durslton Drive, Strensall, that they both deserved prison sentences for their actions which set an "appalling" example for their three children.

But he sentenced Lyn-Marie to 240 hours of community punishment for laundering the money through her bank account. He said he feared taking away both parents would punish the young children more.

He said: "What hope is there for the world if children are brought up with parents like this who think it's all right to defraud the authorities of vast sums?"

He said the crimes were "brazen and audacious" with Stockhill at one point masquerading as "John Jones", an area manager for his fictitious business, in an interview with a suspicious tax inspector.

Speaking after the verdict, Steve Taylor, who led the HM Customs & Excise investigation, said they were now seeking to confiscate the Stockhills' assets, which include cash, cars and their family home. A hearing in December will decide what they will lose.

Mushtaq Khokher, prosecuting, said Shaun Stockhill began the fraud in 2000 by setting up a false trader in the name of Harry John Simpson, after the overweight cartoon father-of-three Homer Jay Simpson.

He said the butcher had recently been made bankrupt with debts of £126,000 after his chain of six shops collapsed, and was desperate to reclaim his affluent lifestyle.

After the deceit was successful, he expanded the imaginary business empire to three traders under the names of Shaun Gary Gumble and Colin Michael Burns.

The court heard in mitigation that Shaun Stockhill was desperate for money after using a loan shark, while his wife had been brought to the "lowest point in her life" by the proceedings.

Updated: 09:10 Saturday, August 07, 2004