Tax evaders escape jail as 28 sentenced for social welfare fraud

LARGE-SCALE tax dodgers only get fines when they end up in court, but small fry dole fraudsters can often end up in jail, figures released yesterday show.

Not a single individual was jailed for tax evasion last year, while a total of 28 people were imprisoned for social welfare fraud, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Yet again, the C&AG’s annual report showed the massive gap between the level of prosecutions by the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social Welfare.