A YORK man who set up three bogus businesses in the names of characters from hit TV cartoon series The Simpsons said today he expected to go to prison after admitting a huge fraud.

Butcher Shaun David Stockhill and his wife, Lyn-Marie, were appearing at York Crown Court today after pleading guilty to their roles in cheating £292,000 from the taxman.

Businessman Stockhill, of Durlston Drive, Strensall, registered three butcher's shops using the names of popular characters from the TV cartoon, including Homer Simpson and Charles Montgomery Burns.

Six years ago, the entrepreneur drove a Porsche, owned six butchers's shops and employed 20 people at premises in York, Hull, Scarborough, Wetherby and Boroughbridge.

But he told the Evening Press that he now expected a jail term for his role in the elaborate fraud, which took place between 2000 and 2001.

When asked if he could pay off the money that he owed, he said: "That is not going to happen." He said: "I am in a lot of trouble. It is all going to come out in court, where you will hear the full story."

The first of three businesses were registered under the names of Harry John Simpson, after Homer Jay Simpson, the head of the Simpsons' dysfunctional animated household.

The others were registered under Shaun Barry Gumble, after Barney Gumble, Homer's heavy-drinking friend, and Colin Michael Burns, after Colin Montgomery Burns, Homer's power-crazed boss.

A HM Customs and Excise spokeswoman said the fraud came to light when certain "financial irregularities" were found in Stockhill's accounting.

She said that, because Stockhill was subject to bankruptcy proceedings, he used his wife to set up bank accounts to receive and disperse payments.

She added that HM Customs and Excise would be seeking a confiscation order for his assets, which could include his car, but not his home, to help repay the money.

The spokeswoman said: "During 2000 and 2001, Shaun Stockhill registered three businesses using names of characters from The Simpsons television programme.

"All three businesses were entirely bogus, devoid of any trading activity and set up deliberately to obtain false VAT repayments from HM Customs and Excise."

The investigation into Stockhill's business activities began in early 2003, and he was arrested in connection with the fraud on April 10.

The maximum sentence Stockhill could face for fraud is seven years' imprisonment.

Updated: 10:31 Friday, August 06, 2004