Couple plead not guilty to £4 million-worth of tax dodging

Husband and wife remanded in custody

A husband and wife accused of dodging more than £4 million in tax are facing a trial expected to last around three weeks.

John George Moore and Patricia Anne Moore of Meary Voar in Santon appeared via a live video link before Deemster Cook at a Court of General Gaol Delivery.

They've pleaded not guilty to evading VAT between 2010 and 2015, and prosecution advocate Mark Benson asked for both to be charged with VAT evasion in 2019 – however, neither has yet entered a plea to the new charge.

The hearing was told a previous trial date had been vacated because of the Covic-19 pandemic.

Deemster Cook remanded the couple in custody and set a new date for the trial, which will now begin on 2 November.