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Two sisters from Leeds have been sentenced after defrauding HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) out of over £450,000 through a fraudulent Gift Aid scheme, with one receiving a 3-year prison sentence and the other 28 months.
Sara Barnbrook, 54, was sentenced to 3 years in prison for cheating the public revenue. Barnbrook, who ran three Girlguiding units in Leeds, submitted false Gift Aid claims to HMRC between 2013 and 2019, falsely declaring donations that never occurred. The fraudulent claims amounted to £482,294.53, with HMRC paying out £446,852.65 before the fraud was uncovered. Barnbrook used the proceeds for personal gain, including luxury items and leisure activities.
Jean Barnbrook, 51, was sentenced to 28 months in prison for her role in laundering the criminal proceeds. Jean, who was a signatory on the Girlguiding accounts, received £234,763.35 from the fraud into her personal account and spent significant sums on luxury goods, home improvements, and travel. She was also involved in attempts to cover up the scheme, including falsifying documents to HMRC and trying to shift blame to an untraceable third party.
The sisters had used their positions of responsibility within the Girlguiding units to carry out the sophisticated fraud, which also involved the creation of false donor names and forged gift aid forms. Jean Barnbrook further implicated herself when she contacted HMRC in 2019 to chase a fraudulent payment for a Girlguiding unit that had closed 18 months earlier.
Both defendants were described as having good character prior to the offences, but the court took a strong view of the scale and sophistication of the fraud. His Honour Judge Khokhar, sentencing, highlighted the significant harm caused to public funds and the abuse of trust involved in their actions.
In addition to their prison sentences, both defendants face confiscation proceedings to recover the stolen funds.
Chambers is centrally located within walking distance of the train station, secure car parks and the Courts.
St Pauls Chambers
Park Row House
19-20 Park Row
Leeds
LS1 5JF
For out of hours assistance please call the senior clerk on 07854170429.
The switchboard will open from 08:30 until 17:30
Phone: +44 (0)1132 455 866
Email: [email protected]
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