Mortgage broker sent back to prison for tax evasion

This is the second time the Auckland mortgage broker has been sent to prison. Photo / 123RF

A convicted fraudster is heading back to jail, this time for evading income tax over a 10-year period.

Auckland mortgage broker David Barton was sentenced to three years and two months jail in the Waitakere District Court on 10 charges of failing to submit an income tax return with the intention of tax evasion for each of the tax years between 2008 and 2017.

Barton previously served a jail sentence in the early 200s on a number of fraud offences.

Inland Revenue spokesman Tony Morriss said Barton knowingly avoided his obligation to file a tax return.

"Barton registered for income tax and proceeded to not pay it for all the years that he was in business," Morris said.

"Our audit uncovered regular deposits into his bank account for the mortgage broking or consultancy services he was providing so it was clear his business was profitable."

Barton's tax evasion amounted to $400,000, according to the court decision.

Morris said Inland Revenue made several attempts to help Barton meet his tax obligations.

"His offending amounts to straight out theft of taxpayers' money and shows a blatant disregard for one of the key responsibilities of running a business – filing an income tax return," Morris said.