A 62-YEAR-OLD man accused of cheating the public revenue by failing to declare all of his income to HM Revenue and Customs has appeared in court.

It is alleged that Philip Fee, of Drumbeg, Enniskillen, used almost £250,000, allegedly the proceeds of unpaid taxes, to fund the purchase of three properties in the town.

Fee is charged with cheating HMRC of income tax and national insurance contributions by failing to declare all of his income between April 1, 2008 and March 31, 2014.

He is further charged with six counts of concealing criminal property, three counts of converting criminal property and one count of transferring criminal property.

The six counts of allegedly concealing criminal property relate to the same Bank of Ireland account held in the name of Theresa Fee.

The defendant is alleged to have concealed £13,820 in this account on December 10, 2009, £7,440 on December 18, 2009, £10,000 on December 21, 2009, £13,945 on December 23, 2009, £13,200 on March 8, 2011 and £22,000 on September 28, 2011.

Meanwhile, Fee is further alleged to have transferred criminal property, namely £94,000 from this Bank of Ireland account to the Norwich Union, on May 16, 2008.

In respect of converting criminal property, it is alleged that Fee used £50,793.75, the proceeds of unpaid taxes, to purchase a property at Derrin Road, Enniskillen on dates between January 14 and February 23, 2010.

He is also accused of using £100,000 in two payments of £94,549.74 and £5,450.26, allegedly the proceeds of unpaid taxes, to buy a property at Drumbeg, Enniskillen on dates between April 17 and July 2, 2011.

The defendant is further charged with converting criminal property, namely £95,040 in three payments of £65,040, £10,000 and £20,000, also allegedly the proceeds of unpaid taxes, to purchase a separate property at Drumbeg between October 10, 2011 and January 1, 2013.

Fee appeared before Fermanagh Magistrates Court for a preliminary enquiry.

A Public Prosecution Service (PPS) representative told the court that, based on the papers submitted, the defendant had a case to answer.

There was no contrary submission at this stage from Fee’s solicitor, Conor Heaney.

The defendant declined at this stage to answer the 11 charges against him.

He further declined to give evidence himself, call any witnesses or tender any written statements of a witness.

District judge, Benita Boyd, observed that she was indeed satisfied there was a case to answer against the defendant.

Describing the charges as “serious”, the judge released Fee on his own bail of £500 to appear before Dungannon Crown Court for his arraignment on Tuesday, May 30.