News Article - 17 October 2006
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Following a confiscation investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), eight paintings stolen by an offender have been returned and £346,425 has been recovered.

The paintings by 19th century artist David Roberts were taken by Shaun Benedict Gray from Dorset, who had previously pleaded guilty to charges of false accounting and forgery.

Gray is now serving a three-year sentence in prison, following the discovery of false accounting on an inheritance tax return concerning the estate of art expert Helen Guiterman to whom the paintings belonged.

Ms Guiterman had left the collection of paintings to the National Arts Collection Fund and what remained of her estate she had left to charity. The investigation by HMRC found that assets worth around £500,000 had been missed off the return and that Gray - who is the grandson of Ms Guiterman's cousin - had forged the will in order to ensure he would be the main beneficiary.

Mark Taylor, HMRC accredited financial investigator, told AccountancyAge: "This confiscation order denies Gray of the proceeds of his crime. The compensation order means the real victims of his criminality, the rightful beneficiaries, will now hopefully receive from the estate of the late Helen Guiterman, in accordance with her true wishes."

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