A FORMER Poole yacht broker who dodged paying £210,000 VAT on the sale of six luxury motor boats has been jailed.

James Williams, 51, lived the high-life on his illegal dealings using the cash to buy a 44-foot yacht based in Portland Harbour and to send his children to private school.

HM Revenue and Customs investigators discovered that Williams charged VAT to UK customers but then failed to pass on the money to HMRC on six occasions.

The fraud centred on the sale of six motor cruisers totalling £1.4million.

Williams also falsified a sales invoice, in the name of another company, that suggested an inflated amount of VAT had already been paid on a motor yacht. The invoice was fabricated to make it appear that VAT had been charged on the sale of the vessel.

Williams was found guilty on six counts of cheating public revenue and one count of false accounting. The offences took place between October 2003 and July 2009. He was jailed for three years.

Sentencing him at Bournemouth Crown Court, Judge John Harrow said: “This was a deliberate and calculated attempt to deprive the Revenue.”

Williams’ business Fairline Dorset Limited was VAT registered between August 2005 and November 2007 and traded as Fairline Poole and Fairline Weymouth. The company ceased trading in 2007.

He now works as a self-employed landscape gardener and lives in Litton Cheney near Dorchester.

John Cooper, HMRC assistant director criminal investigations, said: “Williams used his position as director of a yacht brokers to commit VAT fraud.

“This blatant attack on the tax system not only robbed the Exchequer of public funds, but is also unfair on those businesses that diligently abide by the rules.

“Tackling VAT fraud is a priority for us and we will not hesitate to pursue those who commit this type of offence.”

HMRC says it is pursuing confiscation proceedings.