A ticket tout was handed a suspended sentence after failing to pay nearly £200,000 in tax.

Donald Tiffin, of Park Road, Hampton Wick, paid income tax from sales of sports tickets and hospitality packages into his personal bank account and that of his girlfriend in a bid to hide his activities.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigators found that from 2007, deposits of more than £915,000 had been paid into Tiffin’s bank account and a further £656,000 into his girlfriend’s.

The 63-year-old earned the cash by selling a range of tickets and packages including Wimbledon, the Champions League and the 2009 British Lions tour of South Africa.

In total he failed to pay £193,000 in income tax and VAT.

Gary Forbes, assistant director of the criminal taxes unit, said: “Tiffin’s touting activities netted him vast sums, but he cheated ordinary people by pocketing the proceeds without paying the tax that was due.

“HMRC will continue to track down fraudsters who won’t play fair.”

Tiffin had admitted two counts of cheating the public revenue.

He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, for failing to pay income tax, and to 18 months, also suspended for two years, for failing to pay VAT.

He was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid community work and a compensation order in the sum of £193,000 was issued when he appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday, November 1.