TWO Warrington brothers fraudulently claimed VAT repayments for a company they no longer owned to steal more than £130,000.

David Bennett, 44, and his brother Darren Bennett, 39, both from Warrington, tried to use their former business Nuttalls Coaches Ltd to steal £133,327 by making false VAT repayment claims.

The pair sold the coach company in June 2015 but used the company VAT registration number until April last year to make the false claims.

The pair appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday after an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Paul Maybury, assistant director of fraud investigation service, HMRC, said:“The Bennett brothers thought they could deceive the authorities and line their own pockets with money needed to fund our public services.

“Tax fraud is not a victimless crime, it harms honest businesses and diverts money away from our schools and hospitals. I would urge anyone with information on tax fraud to report it to HMRC online or contact our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”

On Friday, May 8 David Bennett, of Cantilever Gardens, Latchford, and Daniel Bennett, of Avery Close, Padgate, pleaded guilty to fraudulently evading VAT, fraud by false representation and money laundering.

On Wednesday, they were both handed a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years, 250 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay fines.

The current owners of Nuttalls Coaches Ltd were not subject to this criminal investigation or court proceedings.