North Sea money is written off
North Sea money is written off
THE government has been forced to write off £111,000 as a result of the case of a farmer who, among other frauds, claimed support payments on land that proved to be in the middle of the North Sea (News, Feb 8).
The National Audit Office published a report about the case of Devon farmer Joseph Bowden on Fri, Feb 22. Mr Bowden was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment for nine charges relating to false accounting and deception in October 2000.
The report has been written because the case is the largest known fraud by an individual claiming subsidy. *
Sir John Bourne, head of the NAO, said the report highlighted what could happen when checks on claims for subsidies were not sufficiently rigorous.
"In this case the authorities successfully prosecuted a fraudster but his illegal activities would have come to light earlier had the ministrys checks been more thorough."