Stainer Trial begins

The trial of Michael & Doris Stainer begun today 03.05.22, at Southwark Crown Court with the swearing in of the jury, and the trial proper beginning tomorrow. The case is set to last two to three weeks. There are three charges laid against the Stainers by the Queen & HMRC, which were read to him and his wife.

The charge are best summed up Judge Burton who said on June 28th, 2021

“…….the failure [of] the Grand Folkestone Ltd, to submit PAYE NIC returns to HMRC in these proceedings for the years ended 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and following its failure to make any payments to HMRC in respect of employees’ PAYE or NIC in any of the years between April 2009 to the date of the winding up order. The total claim of HMRC in the liquidation of the company runs to approximately £763,000 and the charge sheet refers to the defendant’s alleged intent to defraud and to the prejudice of Her Majesty the Queen and HMRC that he did cheat Her Majesty the Queen and HMRC of public revenue due as PAYE, income tax and National Insurance contributions by failing to account to HMRC for PAYE, income tax and National Insurance contributions, due under the registered PAYE scheme in the name of the Grand Folkestone Ltd, and further, the third charge is that between 6th of April 2011 and the 5th of April 2015, allegedly dishonestly and intending to make a gain for themselves or others, or to expose others to a risk of loss made representations to employees working at the Grand Folkestone, which they knew were or might be untrue or misleading, namely that PAYE income tax and National Insurance contributions had been paid to HMRC on behalf of those employees through the PAYE scheme.”

Mr Stainer is represented by Mukul Chawla QC of Foundry Chambers. HMRC are represented by Anthony Hucklesby of 5PB.

The case is the culmination of events which started in July 2015 when the Stainers were arrested in the now notorious dawn raid, an event Stainer described as a ‘fishing expedition‘.

The Shepway Vox Team

Dissent is NOT a Crime