Ex-football boss admits tax fraud

The former chief executive of Halesowen Town Football Club has admitted avoiding duty on £4.5 million worth of counterfeit cigarettes.

Guy Simpson admitted fraudulently avoiding the duty on 21,357,000 cigarettes when he appeared at Southampton Crown Court.

He spent six months at Halesowen Town after being brought to the club by controversial previous owner and manager Morell Maison in January 2009.

Simpson, aged 52, of Heath Charnock, Lancashire, was charged following the discovery of Regal brand cigarettes by Customs officials in two cargo containers.

They were on board a ship which arrived in Southampton from China on December 13 last year.

Judge Patrick Hooton granted Simpson bail and the case was adjourned until June 15 for pre-sentence reports but he warned Simpson all sentencing options were open.

"You have just pleaded guilty to a serious matter," he told him.

The court was told that Simpson was in debt at the time of the offence.A confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act will now also take place.

The seized fake Regal brand cigarettes were subsequently shredded and burnt at a power station to help power the national grid.