Ex-Top Gear Mechanic Jailed for Helping Tax Cheats Flee UK
Mechanic Aids Father and Son’s Great Escape
Stephen Howard, a former Top Gear mechanic from Chilton, has been locked up for helping a father and son dodge trial over a massive £1 million VAT scam. Howard assisted Jamie and Brian Colwell in fleeing the UK for Spain after HMRC uncovered their tax fraud.
Howard didn’t just wave them goodbye. He orchestrated their getaway, arranging travel tickets, renting a van, and even driving them through France to a secret villa in Benidorm.
- Drove Jamie Colwell’s Porsche through the Eurotunnel to France
- Bought ferry tickets for Brian Colwell from berkshire999.co.uk/where/portsmouth/" title="Portsmouth" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Portsmouth to Caen
- Hired a DAF box van to move the Colwells’ furniture to Spain
- Returned solo in the van to the UK after the escape
Convicted of Perverting Justice
Despite denying any knowledge of the scam, Howard was found guilty of perverting the course of justice at Winchester Crown Court on 14 March. Salisbury Crown Court handed him a 15-month prison sentence on 12 April.
HMRC cracked the case using data from Howard’s phone, which helped track the Colwells straight to their Benidorm hideout. The pair were arrested in May 2018.
The Colwells’ £1 Million VAT Con
The father and son claimed nearly £1 million in VAT repayments by faking £14 million worth of property development expenses. Their stolen cash bought luxury toys including a speedboat, posh cars, and a swanky Dorset rental in Sandbanks.
After being extradited back, Jamie Colwell was sentenced to 5 years and 3 months in prison. Brian got 2 years and 8 months, plus an extra 6 months each for breaching bail conditions.
This saga exposes how tax criminals try to slip through the cracks — and the unexpected role a former TV mechanic played in their failed escape.
