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A businessman who set up three fake companies to falsely claim more than £200,000 in VAT has been jailed.

Edward Marsh, 52, of Eighth Row, Ashington, ran a legitimate eco-boiler fitting company called Paid 2 Heat.

But he also set up three fake firms for which he submitted 52 monthly VAT returns between December 2015 and May 2017 claiming £208,995 in repayments.

Marsh was jailed at Durham Crown Court for 26 months after admitting VAT fraud.

He was also banned from being a company director for five years and ordered to pay a £120 victim surcharge.

Marsh was caught after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers went to his former home and business office in Castle Eden, County Durham, in December 2017 for a standard VAT assurance visit.

During the visit he admitted having only one genuine business and the other companies - Energi 4 Ever, Paid 2 Power and Paid 2 Go Green - never traded.

Marsh said he stole VAT to fund a new business, an HMRC spokesman said.

Cheryl Burr, from HMRC, said: "Marsh was wrong to think he could get away with stealing taxpayers' money.

"This is money which should be used to fund our vital public services and not his new business venture.

"He pocketed enough money to pay the salaries for 10 new police officers for a year."