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| Football scam boss spared jail | Football scam boss spared jail |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The manager and former chairman of Boston United have been spared jail terms after cheating the taxman to "prop up" their ailing football club. | The manager and former chairman of Boston United have been spared jail terms after cheating the taxman to "prop up" their ailing football club. |
| Manager Steve Evans, 43, and Patrick Malkinson, 64, were given suspended sentences for disguising wages and bonuses as expenses between 1997-2002. | |
| London's Southwark Crown Court was told the scheme was so successful it transformed the Lincolnshire club. | London's Southwark Crown Court was told the scheme was so successful it transformed the Lincolnshire club. |
| The five-year tax scam resulted in £323,000 in taxes being withheld. | The five-year tax scam resulted in £323,000 in taxes being withheld. |
| Malkinson was given a two-year sentence and Evans one-year, both suspended for two years. | |
| The Pilgrims saw gates swell by 1,000% during period of the tax fraud. | The Pilgrims saw gates swell by 1,000% during period of the tax fraud. |
| 'Remarkable success' | 'Remarkable success' |
| Evans, of The Cloisters, Eye, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, and Malkinson, of Spilsby Road, Boston, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to cheat the public revenue between 5 April, 1997 and 1 June, 2002. | Evans, of The Cloisters, Eye, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, and Malkinson, of Spilsby Road, Boston, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to cheat the public revenue between 5 April, 1997 and 1 June, 2002. |
| The court heard the fraud gave Boston such an edge over their competitors that they enjoyed "remarkable success", being promoted from the Unibond League to the Nationwide Conference and then the Football League. | The court heard the fraud gave Boston such an edge over their competitors that they enjoyed "remarkable success", being promoted from the Unibond League to the Nationwide Conference and then the Football League. |
| The team was promoted to the Football League in 2002 from the Conference after pipping Dagenham & Redbridge to the title. | The team was promoted to the Football League in 2002 from the Conference after pipping Dagenham & Redbridge to the title. |
| The extra revenue generated by the illegal tax savings allowed Boston to attract players who would otherwise have been beyond its reach. | The extra revenue generated by the illegal tax savings allowed Boston to attract players who would otherwise have been beyond its reach. |
| Evans left the club after an earlier Football Association enquiry but returned to the Pilgrims in March 2004. | Evans left the club after an earlier Football Association enquiry but returned to the Pilgrims in March 2004. |
| He was born in Glasgow and played at Bolton Wanderers, Clyde, St Johnstone and Ayr United. | He was born in Glasgow and played at Bolton Wanderers, Clyde, St Johnstone and Ayr United. |
| Former Pilgrims' accountant Brian James and book-keeper Ian Lee were cleared of conspiracy charges related to the case. | Former Pilgrims' accountant Brian James and book-keeper Ian Lee were cleared of conspiracy charges related to the case. |
| General manager John Blackwell was also cleared of the same charge after the judge directed the jury to acquit him due to a lack of evidence. | General manager John Blackwell was also cleared of the same charge after the judge directed the jury to acquit him due to a lack of evidence. |