O2 restaurant boss Frank Dowling in clear as CPS offers no evidence after four year tax probe

Cleared: Frank Dowling opened three venues in the O2 complex
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26 May 2017

Four years after he was arrested by HMRC officers investigating claims of undeclared VAT and PAYE payments, restaurateur Frank Dowling has been told all charges against have been dropped. The Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence at a court hearing last month following the lengthy probe.

American Dowling moved to Britain in 1997 to work on a property development project in Canary Wharf, subsequently opening three venues in the O2 complex: Union Square, American Bar & Grill and Inc Club.

Dowling said he was “delighted” that the charges had been “thrown out”, describing them as “ill-founded, ill-conceived and just plain wrong”.

“The original accusations were made by individuals to forward their own commercial interests and accepted by authorities although they had proof to the contrary,” he said. “I and my family have been through hell as they tried everything they could to ruin me.

“It has been devastating for my business interests as many third parties decided to treat me as guilty and sought illegal and immoral means to seek commercial advantage, but the truth is out there for everyone to see now.

“There’s a feeling of relief that it is over but also anger at what they have put me through and how much money has been wasted.”

A CPS spokesperson said: “The CPS keeps all cases under regular review in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. Following a review of this case, prosecutors were no longer satisfied that the evidential stage of the test under the Code was met and therefore made the decision to offer no evidence.”

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