An investigation by the BBC TV programme Panorama has found a small corner shop in Northampton whose owner has been paying the correct rate of corporation tax for almost 20 years.
Owner of CJ’s News & Booze, Chris Johnson, set up the business in 1994 and has filed meticulous tax returns ever since, never even claiming for items that were genuinely deductable under HMRC regulations. When confronted over the findings Mr Johnson admitted that he was ‘ashamed’ of his actions.
‘In a way it’s a relief to finally have this out in the open. I’ve spent the last 18 years hiding my tax dealings from my family and friends and I feel like I’ve let them all down,’ said the tax-dodging-dodger. ‘The only thing I can say to try to redeem myself is that I have been claiming disability benefit and job seeker’s allowance since 1978.’