Student 'became high class escort to pay for her masters degree'

 
Paul Cheston7 October 2013
WEST END FINAL

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A student became a high-class escort girl to fund a masters degree at the University of Westminster, a court heard.

Donna Asutaits, 30, earned so much money she paid 110,000 pounds for a deposit on a flat in the Brompton Road in cash.

In all she made more than £300,000 without paying a penny in tax but must now pay back £174,243 or serve two and a half years jail.

Asutaits was able to put down the deposit on her Knightsbridge £360,000 apartment in March 2007, Southwark Crown Court was told.

When police raided her home they found £73,000 in cash alongside high value jewellery given to her by some of her clients.

She was jailed for 16 months in July last year after admitting one count of cheating the public revenue.

Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay said the escort failed to file any tax returns for most of her working career.

He added that Asutaits cheated the taxman out of £120,000 between 2005 and 2007.

‘When this defendant was arrested in relation to this matter in November 2011, a further £6,200 in cash was found.

Judge Peter Testar made an order under the 2002 Proceeds of Crime Act for Asutaits to the repay £120,000 she owed in tax with £54,243 in costs.

Asutaits, who was in the public gallery for the hearing, is still being investigated for her tax evasion, the court heard.

Stan Reiz, defending, said Asutaits is planning to sell her Knightsbridge flat to help pay the confiscation order.

“It is lamentable that any young woman should have to come to London and do this kind of work in order to support herself,” he said.

“Her family have been embarrassed by these proceedings, not only because of the offence but because they didn’t know she was working as an escort in the first place.

Asutaits, of Knightsbridge, has three months to pay £174,243 or she will face another two-and-a-half years behind bars.

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