Philip Bowles and tax fraud

Only early reports thus far, here and here, and no published judgment, but one has to remark that this case of a businessman convicted of cheating the public purse looks seriously dodgy. 

Leaving aside whether the public would consider it is in their interests that RCPO spend the public's money and utilise valuable court time in prosecuting someone such as Mr Bowles, whose seemingly utterly pointless incarceration the public will all now have to pay for, the merest suggestion that the defendant was deprived of the resources to represent himself will be repugnant to anyone who values the notion of justice. 

Reading between the lines, it is not difficult to suppose that Mr Bowles found himself in the sort of business difiiculty encountered by many, was plain unlucky, none too bright, or most probably both, in not seeking serious professional advice early on, and then found himself swept up and away by the system.  Throw in a liberal dollop of more stupidity, being probably some action falling to be put before a jury as concealment, and he was done for. 

Whilst one can but hope that Mr Bowles' appeal is heard soonest, there is here the starkest of reminders that anyone who finds themselves indicted for tax fraud will be 92% likely to be enjoying prison food.