'U-boat' owner faces jail

THE self-styled U-boat captain Richard Williams, who launched his U-boat narrowboat on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal has been cheating the authorities of an estimated £1 million, and now faces jail.

Richard Williams had been claiming both unemployment and disability benefits whilst maintaining a lavish and eccentric lifestyle a court heard, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Cost of £55,000

The 55 years old constructed a narrowboat into a replica Second World War German U-boat, at a cost of £55,000 and cruised the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, and at the same time had a lavish lifestyle, whilst claiming state benefits but at the same time paying for a private jet to take his partner to Paris to buy wallpaper.

Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) undercover officers raided his 'submarine' early one morning whilst moored at the Armouries in Leeds and discovered his scam of claiming back VAT on the non-existent sales of beds for the disabled, having created bogus companies.

Defrauding HMRC

Altogether, in addition to the benefits fraud he had made £1,017,000 with partner Laurel Howarth's assistance, defrauding HMRC of VAT.

Yet he had the effrontery of having an expensive Mercedes car with the numberplate 'VAT 100'! Williams often appeared in full German submarine commander uniform with his 'U-boat' regalia at the Armouries. The 'U-boat' which is complete with conning tower, periscope and control room, caused controversy as it cruised the waterway.

The four years scam is highly likely to result in Williams being handed a jail sentence.