£1m cash for ‘Arry tax trial bunglers
Posted Sunday, February 26, 2012 by The Sun
TAX inspectors behind the bungled Harry Redknapp prosecution have pocketed £1.4million in BONUSES.
The payouts to investigators would have easily covered the £1.3million cost of the probe into the Spurs manager.
Staff on HM Revenue & Customs' criminal investigation unit have received £1.1million in bonuses over the past three years, including £435,000 in 2008-09 alone.
Another £275,326 has been paid out so far this year.
Details of the bonuses emerged just two weeks after HMRC's five-year investigation into Mr Redknapp ended in humiliating failure amid criticism that public money had been squandered.
There is also fury that HMRC is clobbering hundreds of small businesses while signing off cosy deals with big banks.
Conservative MP Priti Patel, who uncovered the bonuses through Parliamentary questions, said taxpayers would be horrified.
She said: "The Government must end the reward for failure culture at HMRC.
"This is an organisation whose incompetence and errors cause misery to businesses and families.
"People will be astonished that those responsible for wasting millions on a high-profile trial are getting bonuses."
HMRC said around 2,000 staff were involved in criminal investigations.
A spokesman defended the bonuses, insisting the staff had earned the extra cash.
He said: "Our pay system rewards those who do most to improve the quality of the services we deliver to the public.
"Our criminal investigation officers tackle criminals who are risking the UK's economic and physical health to line their own pockets.
"The bonuses are not driven by money collected."
There is growing anger about the scale of bonuses being paid across Whitehall.
Earlier this month it emerged MoD civil servants pocketed £40million in extra payouts as thousands of Forces personnel face the axe.
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