Ex-BHS owner Dominic Chappell released from prison

Ex-BHS owner Dominic Chappell, who was sentenced to jail for tax evasion in November 2020, has been released from prison after only serving half of his sentence.

Chappell, who only served three of his six-year sentence in Guys Marsh prison in Dorset, has been released on parole, according to The Times.

BHS collapsed into administration in April 2016 just over a year after boss Sir Philip Green sold the chain for £1 to a consortium led by Chappell.

The business failed with the loss of 11,000 jobs and a £571 million pension deficit, causing a public outcry. Green later paid £363 million to help to plug the shortfall.

Chappell was sentenced to jail in November 2020 for evading tax on his £2.2 million income after purchasing BHS. He avoided paying approximately £600,000 in taxes. At the time of his conviction, the disgraced businessman blamed Green for misleading him over the BHS deal.

During the trial, Southwark Crown Court learned that during his reign at BHS, Chappell made extravagant purchases including a yacht, a luxury car and expensive firearms. He was convicted of three charges of cheating the public revenue related to his bankrupt company, Swiss Rock Ltd.

Back in 2020, Mr Justice Bryan said Chappell had engaged in a "long and consistent course of conduct designed to cheat the revenue" and that his actions "over a substantial period of time is an egregious example of such offending".

His release coincides with the start of a High Court claim trial today. Chappell, along with two former colleagues, must now face the liquidator FRP Advisory in court, which is suing for £133 million for wrongful trading.