A Dublin businessman has been sentenced to three months' imprisonment by the Circuit Criminal Court for tax offences.
Leslie Reynolds, of Offington Lawn in Sutton, pleaded guilty to a total of 30 counts relating to tax offences on behalf of himself and his company over a five-year period in the 1990s.
The court heard how Reynolds, 71, was running two sets of books for his steel component supply business.
He recorded payments from big account customers on computer, but held manual invoices for smaller occasional customers which were not disclosed to Revenue.
Tax authorities discovered several bank accounts and fictitious companies in England and Spain to hide the money.
After a seven-year investigation involving records going back 30 years, the Revenue discovered that Reynolds had evaded taxes of €3.6 million, and was liable for a further €6.3 million in interest and penalties. He has now settled his €9.9 million bill and is fully tax compliant.
Reynolds has also engaged professional services to ensure accounts are well kept.
Paddy MacEntee, SC, described Reynolds as a self-made man who was ashamed of the way he had managed his tax affairs and was blinded by his commitment to his company.
As well as tax evasion Reynolds pleaded guilty to concealment of records and fraudulent training.
The court heard how he was a decent employer whose only two indications of exceptional wealth were a 'single fashionable car and two properties in Spain'.
