A ROYAL Navy submariner from Rosyth has been sentenced for a £20,000 Income Tax fraud.

David Russell, 36, of Somerville Road, stole the money by claiming tax relief on work-related travel expenses that had already been reimbursed by his employer, a HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigation found.

He carried out the fraud for a period of three years between November 2013 and November 2016.

Cheryl Burr, assistant director of HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service, said: “This was a blatant attempt by Russell to pocket cash that should have gone to funding our vital public services.

“If you know of anyone committing tax fraud you can report them by calling our fraud hotline on 0800 788 887.”

Russell claimed tax relief repayments for travel expenses he said he incurred, but the Royal Navy confirmed he had no entitlement to the money because all of his expenses were reimbursed by them.

He was detained and charged in November 2016 and pleaded guilty last month at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He was sentenced yesterday (Wednesday) to a Community Payback Order of 300 hours of unpaid work to be completed within six months.