TWO fraudsters who pocketed £52,000 by running a VAT scam will have to wait to learn their fate.

Bogus businessmen James McCallum, 42, and Gary Wilson, 44, charged VAT to customers for debt management services.

However, neither of them passed on the VAT payments to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard former call centre boss McCallum, of Ritchie Park, Johnstone, and haulage driver Wilson, of Garry Drive, Paisley, pleaded guilty to being concerned in VAT fraud at various addresses for more than a year.

McCallum had previously offered to repay the lost revenue at £250 per month, which was knocked back by the court.

And, when he returned to the dock on Friday, it emerged he was trying to get a bank loan to pay back his ill-gotten gains.

Defence lawyer Nick Nimmo said a family member was getting a loan with RBS which would allow McCallum to pay back the money, adding: “It is going to take some time to get this arranged.”

He asked Sheriff Frances McCartney to adjourn the case for a month to allow McCallum to get the funds in place.

Defence lawyer Paul Lynch, representing Wilson, said he had taken £2,000 in cash to court with him and would then be able to pay a further £200 this week, adding: “He is also attempting to raise more funds through family friends.”

Sheriff McCartney adjourned the case until November to allow the fraudsters extra time to come up with more cash.

Both men had their bail continued.

They had pleaded guilty to being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of VAT to the amount of £52,000 while they were directors/employers of Debt Advice Bureau Ltd, where they charged clients VAT for services but failed to pass this on to HMRC.

Court papers reveal they operated the scheme between October 2011 and December 2012 at Abbey Mill Business Centre, in Paisley, Richie Park, in Johnstone, and the Centrum Buildings, in Queen Street, Glasgow.

They also face separate confiscation proceedings, which are due to begin later this month.

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