'U-boat' boater charged with £1.1m VAT fraud

THE self-styled captain of a replica U-boat has been charged with £1.1million VAT fraud and money laundering, following a Customs raid on his replica U-boat narrowboat.

'Captain' Richard Williams,54, and his partner Laurel, 32, face five fraud allegations relating to the sale of disability products to individuals, rest homes and the NHS, amounting to £1.1 million, Keith Gudgin reveals.

Other aliases

He has been charged under the naval title—and a series of other aliases he is claimed to  have used—after the raid on his self-made narrowboat in the shape of a U-boat in January 2012.

Self-styled 'Captain' Richard Williams, of Blackpool, and his partner were summonsed to appear at court 15 months after their original arrest and have been charged with £1.1million VAT fraud and money laundering after a Customs raid.

The 'U-boat' has been featured in narrowboatworld since it was first seen on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal (U-boat at Liverpool Docks) and again when it was moored behind the Royal the Armouries in Leeds at the time of the arrest. (U-boat 'captain' arrested.)