A Douglas businessman this afternoon pleaded guilty to a £1million VAT fraud.

In magistrates court on Thursday, Ian Andrew Duggua admitted three counts of evasion of Value Added Tax.

The 60-year-old has been committed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery for sentencing on March 10.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that the fraud was related to the companies called Lavatec 2001 Limited, Technocrats 2001 Limited, and Meddon 2001 Limited.

As we reported earlier this week, Mr Swain said that the charges relate to VAT evasion in the region of one million pounds.

The offences were committed over a 10-year period between February 2011 and October 2021.

The prosecutor submitted that, bearing in mind the amount of money involved, the case was beyond the sentencing powers of the summary court and should be committed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery.

Duggua, who lives at Vicarage Park in Douglas, was represented in court by advocate James Quinn, who agreed that sentencing should take place in the higher court and asked for legal aid and bail to be extended.

Magistrates declined summary court jurisdiction and committed the case for sentencing to the Court of General Gaol Delivery.

Bail continues in the sum of £2,500 with conditions that Mr Duggua live at his home address, not leave the island without court consent, and co-operate with probation services in the preparation of a probation report.