A potato merchant who conned the Taxman out of £160,000 to fund private school fees for his children is facing a Crown bid to force him to hand back the money he made illegally.

Scott Coupland, who also worked as a retained firefighter, was jailed for two years and six months for carrying out VAT fraud on a massive scale to fund his children’s school fees.

Now the Crown Office has launched a bid to claw back the money from Coupland under the Proceeds of Crime legislation.

Coupland was brought from Perth Prison for a brief procedural hearing on the claim and the case was set down for a proof at Perth Sheriff Court in December.

A jury found Coupland guilty earlier this year of systematically duping the taxman and using the cash for school fees and to fund his lavish lifestyle.

Sheriff William Wood said Coupland had made no attempt to pay back the money he had fraudulently obtained and had to go to jail despite his previous good character and service to the community.

Sheriff Wood said: “I take into account the fact your business was a legitimate one and I dare say claims were made to fund your lifestyle and continue your children’s education.

“It should have been clear your business was failing. You had a somewhat cavalier approach to corporate accounting. This was a course of conduct in which you made seven false declarations over 21 months.

“You have shown no remorse or acceptance of culpability and made no offer of restitution until today. There was no reason for these claims to have been made.