Cleared but still pursued
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AN OPERATOR in Diss, Norfolk is suing Customs & Excise for 12.5m after it pursued civil action against him for fuel duty evasion, even though he had been cleared of criminal charges.
In 2002 Mark Crofton-Sleigh was found not guilty of knowingly using a cut-price mixture of paraffin and diesel bought from Norfolk Fuel Oils (NFO). Customs officers estimated at least 500,000 litres of paraffin was sold by NFO between March 1998 and June 2000, and more than £200,000 of duty was evaded (CM 14 August 2003). NFO owner Patrick Snc was jailed for 18 months bt partner Trevor Watts was clr after denying similar charges However, despite Cro Sleigh's acquittal. Customs tinued to pursue him for du £104,000. He is now taking hi to the European Court of Hi Rights. "I walked out of co free man without an apology Customs but with my 26-yea business and family life in n he says.
A Customs spokesman dec to comment on "individual a