0:00:02 > 0:00:07Theft of public money costs the UK taxpayer over £20 billion a year.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11This is the worst kind of theft I've come across in 40 years.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14This is money which should be going into the public pot
0:00:14 > 0:00:16to spend on essential services.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20It could be used to build new hospitals and schools.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25And there are specially trained investigators making sure
0:00:25 > 0:00:28that justice is served.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32That money will be recovered. But it is a massive loss.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36In this series we meet the men and women across the UK committed
0:00:36 > 0:00:40to catching criminals who steal from you and me, the British taxpayer.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42No, I'm Kylie!
0:00:42 > 0:00:45But we also hear the stories of people who genuinely need
0:00:45 > 0:00:48assistance from public money.
0:00:48 > 0:00:49Put this round you.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52I look after Pete the way I do because I know
0:00:52 > 0:00:55if the boot was on the other foot he would do exactly the same for me.
0:00:55 > 0:01:00And sometimes they don't even realise they are entitled to it.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03There are places for everyone with mental illness.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05It's just a matter of finding the right place.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Coming up - a crooked lawyer leaves his clients
0:01:10 > 0:01:13with thousands of pounds of tax debt.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15He was breaking the law.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18He looks like a very legitimate, very well-doing businessman,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21but really his business was founded on this scam.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25A well-heeled housewife claims to be a single mum
0:01:25 > 0:01:27to fund a champagne lifestyle.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32She spent something like £2,500 in the bar,
0:01:32 > 0:01:34on spas, on beauty treatments.
0:01:34 > 0:01:39And a disabled man raises £22,000 to fund a life-changing operation...
0:01:41 > 0:01:43Take a step and grab my hand.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45..and then simply gives it all away.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47No way. This can't be right.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50This is such an amazing amount of money
0:01:50 > 0:01:53that...we could never ever have hoped for.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06They say there are two things you can depend on in life,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09death and taxes.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Taxes are essential for everything, from the roads
0:02:12 > 0:02:16we drive on to the hospitals that treat us.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21So, when someone claims to be able to slash those taxes
0:02:21 > 0:02:24in half for you, you should tread carefully.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28Because if they're not completely on the level, then it's your door
0:02:28 > 0:02:31that Her Majesty's tax collectors will come knocking on.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37The simple fact is, the tax is due and it's your responsibility
0:02:37 > 0:02:40to make sure that you're paying the right amount of tax.
0:02:41 > 0:02:47In 2007, house prices in the north-east of England were dropping.
0:02:47 > 0:02:52But one firm of property solicitors was doing very well for itself.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56SFM Legal Services, based in Gateshead,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59was run by dad-of-four Malcolm Graham.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01They were boasting a turnover of £4 million
0:03:01 > 0:03:05and predicting those numbers would double within 18 months.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07So why were they so popular?
0:03:07 > 0:03:12They were claiming to make the cost of buying a house much cheaper
0:03:12 > 0:03:17by promising to cut stamp duty due to the HMRC at the point of sale.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21He was holding seminars explaining how great his business was
0:03:21 > 0:03:23and he could save you this
0:03:23 > 0:03:25and he could save you that and the other.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28He was taking adverts in national newspapers saying,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31"We can save you money on your stamp duty."
0:03:31 > 0:03:36Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs is represented by Clare Merrills.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41It's Criminal Taxes Unit roots out the criminals who evade tax
0:03:41 > 0:03:45and they take stamp duty fraud extremely seriously.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49What I understand from stamp duty, because I've paid it once or twice,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53is that it's a levy that goes on top of whatever you pay for a house.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Yeah, that's right.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57So, depending on the price of the house,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00it will determine the rate of stamp duty that you pay.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Stamp duty cuts in at at £150,000,
0:04:02 > 0:04:06so any houses that cost less than £150,000 you don't pay anything on.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09But from 150,000 up to two million and over,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13there are different rates of stamp duty that you have to pay.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14It's a fairly painful tax.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18And the reason it is because you've got so many expenses
0:04:18 > 0:04:22when you're buying a house and then suddenly you've got a big
0:04:22 > 0:04:25chunk of money going out that you've got to find from somewhere.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29You can see why some people might be trying to work out ways to avoid it.
0:04:29 > 0:04:34Indeed. Because as you say, you've negotiated your new mortgage,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36you're paying for this, you're paying for that, removals,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39and then you get the bill for the stamp duty as well.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41And people may think,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44"If we just negotiate this and if we don't include that
0:04:44 > 0:04:49"in the cost price of the house, can we reduce the amount we have to pay?"
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Well, quite simply, the price that you're paying for the house is the price that you
0:04:53 > 0:04:56pay stamp duty on, and if you do start to manipulate figures
0:04:56 > 0:05:00we find out and we'll come back to you and it's not very nice at all.
0:05:00 > 0:05:06Now, tax avoidance, unlike tax evasion, is not illegal.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10And Malcolm Graham was a self-proclaimed expert
0:05:10 > 0:05:11on avoiding stamp duty.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14A lot of people think, "Oh, this is great.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17"I can save money and legitimately save money, because he's
0:05:17 > 0:05:20"advertising in a national newspaper - it must be legitimate."
0:05:22 > 0:05:26And on the surface, Graham's firm was respectable.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30Then, in March 2009, Northumbria Police were investigating
0:05:30 > 0:05:34a mortgage fraud in which Graham was the client's solicitor.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36He was cleared of any wrongdoing.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40However, this flagged up some anomalies which they passed
0:05:40 > 0:05:42on to HMRC.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44We launched our investigation.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46We have a special unit called the Criminal Taxes Unit
0:05:46 > 0:05:49that deals with this type of investigation.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52They started looking at it and then they started to piece
0:05:52 > 0:05:55everything together to see exactly what had been happening.
0:05:55 > 0:05:56What was he trying to do?
0:05:56 > 0:06:00What he was doing was offering people the opportunity to cut
0:06:00 > 0:06:02the amount of stamp duty that they would pay.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06He was looking at properties that were worth half a million or more.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10So the amount of stamp duty payable on those were quite significant sums.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14What he was saying was, "If you come to me and I can get you
0:06:14 > 0:06:19"your stamp duty a lot less than you actually have to pay.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22"What I save you, you give me half as my fee."
0:06:22 > 0:06:24And that was how he was running his business.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27We are talking about thousands or tens of thousands of pounds
0:06:27 > 0:06:30- that he could possibly be saving people.- Yeah.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34But in fact he wasn't saving them at all, because it was all a fraud.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37So in the short term, his customers think, "Brilliant!
0:06:37 > 0:06:40"I've made this saving. I'm quite happy to hand over the fee
0:06:40 > 0:06:43"to Malcolm Graham." What happens after that?
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Well, after that, once we discovered what was going on,
0:06:46 > 0:06:50we started going back over all his transactions
0:06:50 > 0:06:53and realised that actually people hadn't paid as much as they should
0:06:53 > 0:06:58have done, and then we go and say, "You should have paid us £10,000.
0:06:58 > 0:07:03"You've only paid us £5,000." They go, "No, because I used this scheme
0:07:03 > 0:07:06"and this was legitimate and I paid you what I was due."
0:07:06 > 0:07:08At which point it all starts to unravel.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11And then they have to pay the extra £5,000.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18While HMRC was chasing Graham's clients for outstanding taxes...
0:07:19 > 0:07:23..another group of investigators was chasing Graham himself -
0:07:23 > 0:07:26the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Gordon Ramsay and his team are there to protect us
0:07:30 > 0:07:33from rogue solicitors.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37We look at the behaviour and the conduct of solicitors,
0:07:37 > 0:07:39making sure they are treating consumers properly,
0:07:39 > 0:07:43and if there's any misbehaviour we take action to regulate that.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Solicitors Regulation Authority.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50The Solicitors Regulation Authority is about protecting clients,
0:07:50 > 0:07:52and they were worried that Graham's payment structure
0:07:52 > 0:07:54would leave them vulnerable.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00He was creating this scheme which meant that you could avoid
0:08:00 > 0:08:03paying tax due on your house purchase,
0:08:03 > 0:08:09and he was taking a fee on the amount he claimed he would be saving you.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15The no-win-no-fee payment structure might have appealed to clients,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17but what they didn't realise is that there was no provision
0:08:17 > 0:08:22for reimbursing them if the HMRC did come knocking.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28The Solicitors Regulation Authority contacted Malcolm Graham
0:08:28 > 0:08:30to ask him about his schemes.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34Mr Graham wasn't particularly helpful in his responses,
0:08:34 > 0:08:41so we sent our trained investigators out to interview
0:08:41 > 0:08:44and go through the books and the accounts of the firm.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48And what they found caused them considerable concern.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53He operated a number of tax avoidance schemes,
0:08:53 > 0:08:58one of which was the stamp duty land tax avoidance scheme.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01When dealing with a property purchase,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04he would artificially structure the deal
0:09:04 > 0:09:10so that one party would buy 90% and the other party 10%,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13but he would only declare to the Inland Revenue, HMRC,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16the smaller 10% of the deal.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20He was misleading clients
0:09:20 > 0:09:24and mortgage holders on the purchase price and the revenue,
0:09:24 > 0:09:30so a £400,000 house he would sell to a husband and wife, possibly,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33and the husband would buy for 350,000,
0:09:33 > 0:09:35the wife would buy for 50,000,
0:09:35 > 0:09:40it would only be the 50,000 sale that would be declared to the Revenue.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45The investigation ramped up a notch when Graham tried to prove
0:09:45 > 0:09:49that another tax avoidance scheme was legit.
0:09:49 > 0:09:55Mr Graham provided to us a letter supporting his claim
0:09:55 > 0:10:02that his capital gains tax avoidance scheme had been approved by HMRC.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06HMRC were able to confirm to us that not only was this letter
0:10:06 > 0:10:11fabricated, they wouldn't ever approve such a scheme.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Now, having the proof that Graham was not using
0:10:14 > 0:10:18an HMRC verified scheme for capital gains tax,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21and suspecting the same to be true for his stamp duty avoidance,
0:10:21 > 0:10:23the SRA was closing in on him.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30Graham was on the verge of losing his right to practise.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34And with debts of 0.5 million to the public purse and clients
0:10:34 > 0:10:40demanding to be reimbursed their fees, Graham liquidated his company.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47Later, will Graham's story stand up when investigators ask him
0:10:47 > 0:10:50to tell it to the courts this time?
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Some people do everything they can to avoid paying tax, thinking
0:11:01 > 0:11:05that if they don't ask for anything they shouldn't have to contribute.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Sometimes things happen in life that are out of our control
0:11:08 > 0:11:12and that's when we realise that whether it's from family, friends
0:11:12 > 0:11:16or financial help from the state, sometimes we all need a bit of help.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23Dan Black was a lad in his 20s who didn't need to rely on anyone.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27He had a band locally doing so well.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29They were so well known around here.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32They played gigs up in London, they played a festival in Spain.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35I managed them and it was great, it was lovely,
0:11:35 > 0:11:37because we all got on so well together.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39And he was such a fantastic bass player.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Dan had just made a big decision about his future
0:11:42 > 0:11:44and was working hard towards it.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Spent a lot of time going to the gym
0:11:46 > 0:11:49and cycling around and playing my guitar.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Then I decided to do something completely different
0:11:51 > 0:11:52and join the Army.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57When I told my mum I wanted to join the Army she was a bit,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00"OK, whatever." She didn't really believe me and then
0:12:00 > 0:12:03a couple of days later I said, "Oh, mum, I've signed up for the Army."
0:12:03 > 0:12:04He'd made his mind up
0:12:04 > 0:12:08and then started to focus on the keeping fit side of it.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11He really wanted to make sure that he was ready to go in there.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14But one morning something happens which was to
0:12:14 > 0:12:16change Dan's life for ever.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21My morning routine originally was get up about six, shower,
0:12:21 > 0:12:26have breakfast, watch the news for a bit and then drive to work.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30And after I decided to join the Army I knew I needed to get fit,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32so I scrapped the car, well, took it off the road
0:12:32 > 0:12:35and then cycled everywhere.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39Cycled to the gym, cycled to my girlfriends, cycled to work.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43Dan always left for work at the same time every single morning.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46This one day he was early.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49He was never early for work, he was always late. Always got away with it.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53That morning I was...
0:12:54 > 0:12:55..a bit earlier than normal.
0:12:57 > 0:12:58Just the way it worked out.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09A car appeared in front of Dan as he cycled down the road.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12SCREECH OF TYRES FOLLOWED BY CRASH
0:13:12 > 0:13:15They collided and he was thrown from his bike,
0:13:15 > 0:13:17hitting the tarmac at high speed.
0:13:21 > 0:13:27I remember all of the accident apart from...from the actual impact.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30And then I don't know what I remember.
0:13:30 > 0:13:31I felt like I fell asleep.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36In a split second every single thing that he wanted to do
0:13:36 > 0:13:39through his life was just taken away from him.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46When we got to the accident he was on the floor.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49I went in the ambulance with him to the hospital
0:13:49 > 0:13:53and the ambulance driver had drawn a pen across his chest
0:13:53 > 0:13:56to say that he couldn't feel below that.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01And then while we were in the hospital he started to...
0:14:03 > 0:14:05..he started to say that he...
0:14:11 > 0:14:15Sorry. He said that he couldn't feel parts of his legs and I just knew.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19And then his face dropped, and I kept saying to them,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21"There's something wrong with his face.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24"Why has his face dropped?" And he kept saying, "I love you, Mum."
0:14:24 > 0:14:28And he never tells me he loves me, so I knew something was going on.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Dan was rushed back into surgery.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35A constricted artery in his neck had caused a blood clot,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38leading to a massive stroke.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40If only they'd have known at the start,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43they could have possibly dealt with the stroke, but we didn't know.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46They put him straight into an induced coma
0:14:46 > 0:14:48and he was there for six weeks.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51And then I was just... I lived there.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55To be honest with you, it's one of those where I was at the hospital,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58but to sit around his bed was just awful.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03As the days and weeks passed,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Dan's family slowly learned about the full extent of his injuries.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12He had a collapsed lung, a crushed kidney and a ruptured spleen.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14He also had permanent brain damage.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18His spine had been shattered on impact
0:15:18 > 0:15:23and he'd broken 19 bones, one of which had crushed his spinal cord.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29I kept saying, "Please don't, don't wake him up."
0:15:29 > 0:15:32I don't want to tell him he's never going to walk again. How do you tell him?
0:15:32 > 0:15:35How do you tell him he's never going to actually be able to join the Army,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38he's not going to play his guitar any more?
0:15:38 > 0:15:41The day that they were fearing came too soon.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44It was time to wake him from his coma.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51Well, when I woke up, I had my, my mum, my dad, a doctor,
0:15:51 > 0:15:53my best friend and my girlfriend
0:15:53 > 0:15:57around the bed and the doctor started describing my injuries to me.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00It was all pretty devastating, I suppose you could say.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04It slowly started to hit me, like, oh, I can't move my legs.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07I can't even feel my feet being tickled, can't move my arm.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09The doctor...
0:16:09 > 0:16:11..sort of skirted around the idea,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14but basically told me, oh, you're never going to walk again,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17your injuries are too severe to be repaired.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20And I'm sat there and I'm crying, because I'm...
0:16:20 > 0:16:23The doctor's telling him and he passed me a tissue.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27SHE GASPS It's like, Daniel, it's YOU that should be crying.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29And he passed me the tissue.
0:16:29 > 0:16:30I'll never forget that.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33Far from being over, though,
0:16:33 > 0:16:37the real struggle for Dan and his family was just beginning.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39Home at last after months in hospital,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42he then had to get used to life in a wheelchair.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Because I was right-handed before my accident, I've now lost my right arm.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51So, well, it's still there, but no, I can't use it.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54So I've basically had to get used to everything again.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57So, eating, going to the toilet, getting dressed,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00everything is completely different.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05And it wasn't just Dan's life that had changed.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Parents Michaela and Rick had to give up work
0:17:08 > 0:17:11and they saw their lives pulled apart.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15I didn't think about how our lives would change at all.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19They changed in respect of, I've lost my job.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22My husband lost his job, you know, we had the car taken off us,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25so we had nothing, we had no money coming in.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28We were lending money off so many people.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32Because we just had no other way of paying bills.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37The family was forced to leave their beloved village of Mathern,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39childhood home of mum Michaela,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42to live in a wheelchair accessible new build six miles away.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46This doesn't feel like a home.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48Not to Daniel, not to me and not to Rick.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50It's just a house.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55I think it's because our home is back in Mathern, but it's gone.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02Dan's now coping with depression on top of his physical injuries.
0:18:02 > 0:18:03Always puts on a brave face.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06You speak to him, you think that he's fine,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09that everything's fine, but as his mum,
0:18:09 > 0:18:12I just know that what's going on inside,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15and what he's feeling deep down is completely different.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19'I've got no choice.'
0:18:19 > 0:18:23It's not bravery, it's down to, what else can I do?
0:18:25 > 0:18:28With Dan and the family struggling with their difficult situation,
0:18:28 > 0:18:32they began to research ways in which his life could improve.
0:18:32 > 0:18:37We had folders full, where people, including ourselves had printed off,
0:18:37 > 0:18:40so we knew that these things were happening.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42They were looking at experimental treatments
0:18:42 > 0:18:46that might restore the use of Dan's legs.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50'This one man was taking samples from the person's own nose'
0:18:50 > 0:18:52and putting them into, the spinal-cord
0:18:52 > 0:18:55and it's been quite promising, they were getting rats to walk quite easily.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58We were just preparing ourselves, ready for it,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02because the minute there's any form of a trial, Daniel wants to be on it.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06He wants to trial anything at all with regards to stem cell.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Some people don't agree with stem cell,
0:19:08 > 0:19:12but when you're in the situation we're in, it's our only hope.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18Experimental treatments are not available on the NHS
0:19:18 > 0:19:22and mostly happen in the United States.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24The family quickly realised
0:19:24 > 0:19:26that should an operation become available,
0:19:26 > 0:19:28they'd have to fund it themselves.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32However, the community rallied round them,
0:19:32 > 0:19:34with mum's best friend, Tracey, leading the way.
0:19:35 > 0:19:40She raised the money, she organised an auction in the village.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43She really got the village together
0:19:43 > 0:19:47and everybody in Mathern and the surrounding area were so generous.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49They all donated money.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52They did fun days, they did, you know,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54charity walks across the Severn Bridge.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58The auction in our local village raised thousands
0:19:58 > 0:20:00and it's a small village, it's a tiny village.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Everybody came together for Daniel, everybody.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06And Tracey organised it all.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08It was hard work, but they did it.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12After four years, they'd raised £20,000.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Dan's improved life was beginning to look like a possibility.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21All they had to do was wait for the science to catch up.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26But meanwhile, just six miles away, a little boy was growing up.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Later we find out how his fate
0:20:29 > 0:20:33was going to become inextricably linked with Daniel's.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37At the end of the day, he's six and he just wants to walk
0:20:37 > 0:20:39and be like everybody else.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Britain's not a country to let those in need fend for themselves.
0:20:51 > 0:20:56We have a proud tradition of caring for the sick and elderly
0:20:56 > 0:21:00and giving a helping hand to those that have fallen on hard times.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04A single mum struggling to raise children on her own
0:21:04 > 0:21:07is one such vulnerable member of society,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09needing an extra bit of help
0:21:09 > 0:21:14to meet the bills without a husband or partner to provide.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16CREAKING
0:21:16 > 0:21:19That's just what the system's designed to do.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23It's not designed to provide people with exotic holidays,
0:21:23 > 0:21:25whether they're a single mum or not.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32Dispensing it like, £2,500 in the bar, on spas,
0:21:32 > 0:21:36on beauty treatments and all this money was meant to help people
0:21:36 > 0:21:39who are the most vulnerable people in our society.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Hot on the trail of the people who abuse the system
0:21:42 > 0:21:46are the counter fraud investigators from the DWP.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Following strict guidelines from the Regulation Of Investigatory Powers Act,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53these surveillance experts stop at nothing
0:21:53 > 0:21:57to claw back taxpayer's money and bring fraudsters to justice.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Their lead investigator in Liverpool is Steve Snead.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Benefits is meant for people who, through no fault of their own,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09find themselves in financial difficulty.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14It is not there to subsidise a very lavish lifestyle.
0:22:15 > 0:22:20On the surface, Victoria Tracey was a hard-up single mum of two.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24She first made a claim to benefits in 2008.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28She stated that she was single, lived on her own with her children
0:22:28 > 0:22:32and that she was renting a house from a Mr Andrew Kenny,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34whom she described as "her landlord".
0:22:37 > 0:22:40On submitting claim forms, Victoria Tracey was awarded benefits
0:22:40 > 0:22:43to help her pay rent to her landlord,
0:22:43 > 0:22:45and this continued for four years,
0:22:45 > 0:22:49until the department received a tip-off in November 2012.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56We received an allegation, which said that her landlord was in fact
0:22:56 > 0:22:59her partner, and they were living together as man and wife.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04It was time to hit the streets and do some surveillance.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13We need to establish a significant pattern of movements
0:23:13 > 0:23:16of Miss Tracey and of Mr Kenny.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18We were aware that he could come along and say to us,
0:23:18 > 0:23:19"I stayed the odd night,"
0:23:19 > 0:23:22or, "It was a matter of convenience - I couldn't get home."
0:23:22 > 0:23:25We need to establish the fact that he was there on a regular basis,
0:23:25 > 0:23:29and actually is having a lifestyle with Miss Tracey that would be
0:23:29 > 0:23:32commensurate with a couple in a relationship.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37Steve Snead and the team started their visual surveillance
0:23:37 > 0:23:38and wrote up their findings.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42CAMERA CLICKS
0:23:42 > 0:23:45We do receive a lot of allegations that people are living
0:23:45 > 0:23:48together with a partner when they claim to be single.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52Obviously from a financial point of view, there's a lot of incentive.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56We found that Mr Kenny was in fact not Miss Tracey's landlord,
0:23:56 > 0:23:58but was in fact her partner
0:23:58 > 0:24:01and that they were living together in her house.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05And the team dug a little bit deeper to see how Tracey
0:24:05 > 0:24:07and Kenny were operating financially.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12We have certain powers which enable us
0:24:12 > 0:24:15to gain certain information from financial institutions,
0:24:15 > 0:24:17but also, we made checks -
0:24:17 > 0:24:21we conducted surveillance to ascertain the person's true circumstances,
0:24:21 > 0:24:24we also made a number of enquiries to third parties and
0:24:24 > 0:24:28bit by bit the investigator was able to paint a picture, which painted
0:24:28 > 0:24:32a completely different portrait of this lady and her circumstances.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40In the course of the investigation,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Steve and his team contacted a mortgage company,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45insurance companies and the DVLA,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48all of whom corroborated that Andrew Kenny was
0:24:48 > 0:24:52listed at the same address as Victoria Tracey,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55and they were living together as partners.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58But even more outrageous evidence was about to emerge.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04Victoria Tracey was not only able to run a cabriolet car with
0:25:04 > 0:25:06a personalised number plate,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09but she and Mr Kenny had numerous holidays abroad,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12including cruises on Royal Caribbean lines,
0:25:12 > 0:25:15which they paid £6,000 each,
0:25:15 > 0:25:21plus while they were away, they spent something like £2,500 in the bar,
0:25:21 > 0:25:23in spas, on beauty treatments.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27And all this money was meant to help people who are the most
0:25:27 > 0:25:28vulnerable people in our society.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33With Victoria Tracey living a life more akin to
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Footballers' Wives than a single mum on the poverty line,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Kenny was still claiming to be her landlord.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43They invited them both in for interview under caution.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48He was interviewed initially and he actually denied that the
0:25:48 > 0:25:52children were is children - he was quite strong in that conviction.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57It was only when the investigator pointed that on his arm, he had
0:25:57 > 0:26:01the names and dates of birth of the children tattooed,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04that he eventually admitted the fact that he was their father.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06Busted!
0:26:08 > 0:26:12After that, Victoria Tracey had little option but to come clean too.
0:26:13 > 0:26:18She'd been living it up at the taxpayers' expense.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20When this matter came before the Crown Court,
0:26:20 > 0:26:24the amount involved was over £85,000.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28On 20th of January 2014,
0:26:28 > 0:26:32the couple pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court.
0:26:34 > 0:26:35Despite their two children,
0:26:35 > 0:26:39they faced a prison sentence of up to ten years each.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43Victoria Tracey and Andrew Kenny
0:26:43 > 0:26:46appeared in Liverpool Crown Court in 2014.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Both were sentenced to nine months in prison, with immediate effect.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53In passing sentence, the judge said he took into account
0:26:53 > 0:26:56the fact that they had dependent children,
0:26:56 > 0:26:59but the amount of money was such that only an immediate custodial
0:26:59 > 0:27:02sentence was merited.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Behind bars, and it's not over yet - the DWP won't rest
0:27:08 > 0:27:11until they're recovered all the taxpayers' money.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15We are seeking to recover every penny of this,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18and will pursue Miss Tracey and Mr Kenny
0:27:18 > 0:27:20until we have all the money back.
0:27:26 > 0:27:31Back in Tyneside, Malcolm Graham's firm, SFM Legal Services,
0:27:31 > 0:27:35had been operating a highly dubious tax avoidance scheme,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38which had left many of his clients out of pocket to the HMRC.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45When the company folded, a third agency had to
0:27:45 > 0:27:48step in to find the money - The Insolvency Service.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Their chief investigator in Tyneside is Anthea Simpson,
0:27:53 > 0:27:57who had to face some very disgruntled property investors.
0:27:58 > 0:28:04Creditors with sums totalling in excess of £500,000,
0:28:04 > 0:28:09made claims to the liquidator in relation to fees which they
0:28:09 > 0:28:13were attempting to recover from SFM.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15Given that he owed so much money,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18you would have thought that Mr Graham would have been skint,
0:28:18 > 0:28:21but you would have thought wrong.
0:28:21 > 0:28:26Investigations showed he'd been taking quite a few pay packets home.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29Mr Graham received director's remuneration of approximately
0:28:29 > 0:28:31£1.5 million,
0:28:31 > 0:28:37and also received dividends from the company of in excess of £300,000.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40So his firm collapsed owing over a million,
0:28:40 > 0:28:44and Graham had taken over a million as it's director.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46As a publicly-funded body,
0:28:46 > 0:28:51The Insolvency Service has the power to investigate and take action.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54A detailed analysis of the accounting records was carried out,
0:28:54 > 0:28:59and the investigator then also contacted any other relevant
0:28:59 > 0:29:04third parties in order to obtain the evidence whether or not
0:29:04 > 0:29:07disqualification proceedings should be commenced
0:29:07 > 0:29:13and what any allegations of misconduct that were made should be.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16By now, the Solicitors Regulation Authority had taken
0:29:16 > 0:29:19disciplinary action against Graham.
0:29:19 > 0:29:24What we have here is the actual findings of the tribunal
0:29:24 > 0:29:28and we had 16 findings of dishonesty against Mr Graham.
0:29:29 > 0:29:30With overwhelming evidence,
0:29:30 > 0:29:34the shamed solicitor had to face the music.
0:29:34 > 0:29:39Mr Graham misled clients, he misled the mortgage providers,
0:29:39 > 0:29:44he misled HMRC and in providing us with a fabricated letter,
0:29:44 > 0:29:47he misled the regulator.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51And in December 2009, the tribunal struck off Mr Graham,
0:29:51 > 0:29:52and by striking him off,
0:29:52 > 0:29:55he was no longer allowed to act as a solicitor.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02He was also banned from acting as a company director for five years -
0:30:02 > 0:30:04he'd lost his job and livelihood.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09Meanwhile, HMRC was conducting a criminal
0:30:09 > 0:30:13investigation into how he lured his clients in.
0:30:13 > 0:30:14He claimed that he'd found a loophole
0:30:14 > 0:30:18and he claimed he'd got this document from a top London
0:30:18 > 0:30:22tax barrister, which claimed that this system that he was using
0:30:22 > 0:30:26was all legitimate and it could save people money.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30So the legitimacy of his stamp duty avoidance scheme all hinged on
0:30:30 > 0:30:33one document - but where was it?
0:30:33 > 0:30:38Not very many people saw the document - he kept that under lock
0:30:38 > 0:30:41and key most of the time and nobody was allowed to get it out
0:30:41 > 0:30:42and show other people.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44But he was talking about the document,
0:30:44 > 0:30:48"Oh, yes, yes, of course this is all legal and all above-board.
0:30:48 > 0:30:49"I've got proof.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52"I've been told by this top barrister in London that
0:30:52 > 0:30:54"this is going to work - of course it'll be fine."
0:30:57 > 0:30:59Using their powers to seize evidence,
0:30:59 > 0:31:02The Criminal Taxes Unit eventually located this elusive
0:31:02 > 0:31:08piece of paper that supposedly proved the legitimacy of his scheme.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12In actual fact, the document didn't say that and it had been doctored.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16He'd actually written to the tax advisor,
0:31:16 > 0:31:19but the response hadn't been what he'd hoped.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Not being one to let a little thing like the law stop him,
0:31:22 > 0:31:25he'd taken matters into his own hands.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28This document was advising him it's not going to work.
0:31:30 > 0:31:35It had then been changed to say it is going to work.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37I mean, it was as simple as that.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40It's very technical, but that's the change that he'd made.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44So you've got a document here that's actually been doctored to
0:31:44 > 0:31:47give the opposite meaning to what it should have said,
0:31:47 > 0:31:50- and that's been used to convince people to take part.- Yeah.
0:31:50 > 0:31:51So people would think,
0:31:51 > 0:31:55"This is great, I can save thousands of pounds here,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57"thousands of pounds there - great."
0:31:57 > 0:31:58And they were taken in by it.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02So he'd tricked his own clients, cheated the Revenue out of over
0:32:02 > 0:32:06a million in stamp duty taxes and distorted the property market.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23Malcolm Graham was brought before Newcastle Crown Court
0:32:23 > 0:32:26on the 30th November 2013.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30He pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33I think, the judge, because he had admitted,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36gave him a sentence that was suspended,
0:32:36 > 0:32:39rather than actually sending him to prison.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41OK, so he stays out of prison...
0:32:41 > 0:32:46The people that he's conned, the customers,
0:32:46 > 0:32:47could you feel sympathy for them?
0:32:47 > 0:32:49Cos they've tried to...
0:32:49 > 0:32:51They've done what they think is legal...
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Yeah, and they've put trust in him, and I think that's the thing.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57So whilst, yes, I have some sympathy for people in the fact
0:32:57 > 0:32:58they were conned,
0:32:58 > 0:33:02the simple fact is the tax is due and it's your responsibility
0:33:02 > 0:33:06to make sure you're paying the right amount of tax.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09Do you have any idea how much money we're talking about,
0:33:09 > 0:33:13that was being withheld from the public purse?
0:33:13 > 0:33:16We reckon £1.6 million - that's what we took him to court on,
0:33:16 > 0:33:17£1.6 million.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21That was about 280 different transactions that he'd
0:33:21 > 0:33:24carried out using this piece of paper that he'd doctored.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28So these are big money transactions and there's a lot of them.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32- Yes.- So you end up with this huge sum - £1.6 million,
0:33:32 > 0:33:33a lot you can do with that,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36if you start thinking of hospitals, schools and the things that we need.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38Yeah, mending the roads.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41It is a lot of money to go towards all of that, yeah.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45Malcolm Graham walked free on this occasion,
0:33:45 > 0:33:48but with a further 11 years' disqualification from being
0:33:48 > 0:33:49a company director,
0:33:49 > 0:33:53he lost his credibility, his livelihood and his career.
0:33:54 > 0:33:55How common is this?
0:33:55 > 0:34:00How often do you come across stamp duty land tax fraud?
0:34:00 > 0:34:02- Is it something everyone's trying? - To be honest with you,
0:34:02 > 0:34:06this was actually one of the first cases that we'd taken to prosecution,
0:34:06 > 0:34:09because it was a large one.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11People are always trying to find ways round it,
0:34:11 > 0:34:15but it was a big fraud he was working on - 1.6 million -
0:34:15 > 0:34:18it's a lot of money. We needed to pursue that.
0:34:20 > 0:34:24Now from those who line their own pockets with public money to
0:34:24 > 0:34:26those that need all the help they can get.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31Brecon Vaughan was born in the same village as Dan Black
0:34:31 > 0:34:35and, like him, was predicted a future in a wheelchair.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38Brecon's family were told their son would never walk.
0:34:41 > 0:34:46Brecon's a six-year-old lad who's had a lot to contend with.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49He's the cheekiest, funniest lad - when I look at his face,
0:34:49 > 0:34:51I just smile.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Brecon was born with both hips dislocated
0:34:55 > 0:34:58and neurological damage to his brain.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01But his parents had heard of an operation that could help him.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05We had heard about an operation called SDR -
0:35:05 > 0:35:09selective dorsal rhizotomy. Hadn't really looked into it much,
0:35:09 > 0:35:11it was just something we'd heard about.
0:35:11 > 0:35:12The more we looked into it,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15the more we realised that that was going to be
0:35:15 > 0:35:17an alternative for him that would
0:35:17 > 0:35:21hopefully enable him to walk properly.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24The procedure was based on the same science that Dan Black had
0:35:24 > 0:35:26been researching, but unlike Dan,
0:35:26 > 0:35:29six-year-old Brecon was considered
0:35:29 > 0:35:32an ideal candidate for this sort of operation,
0:35:32 > 0:35:34and it had to be carried out soon.
0:35:34 > 0:35:39Had we left it, Brecon's tightness in his legs would only increase.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43As he grew older, the likelihood was his legs would tighten up
0:35:43 > 0:35:44and he'd actually become less mobile.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48The problem was that the hospital carrying it out was in America
0:35:48 > 0:35:52and they'd have to fund it themselves.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54The ball park we had was around 60,000
0:35:54 > 0:35:56but that wasn't only for the operation.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00Although the operation is vitally important
0:36:00 > 0:36:02the after-care is just as important.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06We looked at all the different avenues of what we could do -
0:36:06 > 0:36:10selling the house, remortgaging the house - whatever we had to do.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13The family started to fundraise.
0:36:13 > 0:36:14We did do really well -
0:36:14 > 0:36:19within the first two months we'd raised £11,000, which was
0:36:19 > 0:36:23friends and family and local donations and things like that,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26but we knew we couldn't keep the momentum up.
0:36:26 > 0:36:27It was getting harder and harder
0:36:27 > 0:36:31and it did start to weigh quite heavy on your mind.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33Where are you going to get this money?
0:36:33 > 0:36:35What were we going to do?
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Then Dan Black heard about his plight
0:36:38 > 0:36:41and he wanted to make a difference.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44If he could have raised cash constantly at the rate I did,
0:36:44 > 0:36:46it would have taken him at least 12 years...
0:36:48 > 0:36:49..to give him the money,
0:36:49 > 0:36:53so that would have put him at late teens before he starts walking,
0:36:53 > 0:36:56so he would have missed out entirely on his childhood...
0:36:56 > 0:36:58which is quite sad.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01Everyone deserves a childhood.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03An idea began to form in Dan's mind -
0:37:03 > 0:37:07one that would change his life and Brecon's for ever.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10No reason for me to have the money cos there's no treatment for me,
0:37:10 > 0:37:14whereas there is a treatment for him and all he needs is money.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17So why should I be holding on to that money whilst it's not helping
0:37:17 > 0:37:19anybody when it could help someone?
0:37:20 > 0:37:24There was no time to waste - he called his parents into his room.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28He said, "Mum, I'd rather just give him all the money - all of it."
0:37:28 > 0:37:31I thought he would give him £1,000 or £2,000 , just to help him out.
0:37:31 > 0:37:36He said, "No, he's never walked, Mum - I have,
0:37:36 > 0:37:38"so he deserves it.
0:37:38 > 0:37:43"He can have that operation now and by the time he's 16, 17,
0:37:43 > 0:37:45"going out with the lads and meeting girls,
0:37:45 > 0:37:46"he'll be able to walk.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48"That's not going to happen for me,
0:37:48 > 0:37:52"so he should have that money now so that he can walk."
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Dan's mum, Michaela, was the one to call Brecon's parents Rob
0:37:57 > 0:38:00and Anne, to break them the news.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03We were blown away with the idea that we were going to move that
0:38:03 > 0:38:05much closer to our goal.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07Rob and I couldn't really take it in.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11We just thought, "No way, this can't be right."
0:38:11 > 0:38:16This Dan wants to give Brecon £20,000, such an amazing
0:38:16 > 0:38:21amount of money that we could never, ever...
0:38:21 > 0:38:22have hoped for.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28And Dan's gesture wasn't just recognised by the Vaughans.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30The news was picked up by the papers
0:38:30 > 0:38:33and the media attention led to a surge in donations.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38I was driving to work and my phone started going, I was getting texts.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40By the time I got to work,
0:38:40 > 0:38:43people I work with were saying, "You ain't going to believe this."
0:38:43 > 0:38:47And they were just watching Brecon's JustGiving page going up
0:38:47 > 0:38:50and up and it was just phenomenal.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52By the end of... That was a Friday -
0:38:52 > 0:38:56I think by the end of the Saturday night we'd made the target.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01I didn't think it would make that much difference cos it was
0:39:01 > 0:39:03only about a third of what they needed.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06But then it went pretty much global
0:39:06 > 0:39:08and people from all over the world were donating,
0:39:08 > 0:39:12and within two or three days, they had all the money.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15Now they'd reached their target, there was no time to waste.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18It was all really, really quick - once it started happening
0:39:18 > 0:39:22it was just a big, massive snowball and it just didn't stop.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25On October 11th 2013,
0:39:25 > 0:39:28Brecon and his parents boarded a flight to the US to go
0:39:28 > 0:39:32and get the operation that they hoped would change his life for ever.
0:39:35 > 0:39:40The operation was a success, but it only took him half of the way there.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45We knew when we entered into the operation, we were going
0:39:45 > 0:39:49to have a very hard couple of years ahead with the physio, the training.
0:39:49 > 0:39:54He still has years of phsyio ahead of him to build up strength.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56We'll have a few sits-to-stands.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58You know what it is. OK.
0:39:58 > 0:39:59Ready? Up we go.
0:39:59 > 0:40:00Zero!
0:40:00 > 0:40:02One, two...
0:40:02 > 0:40:05Ready? Final one. Slow all the way down.
0:40:05 > 0:40:06Five, four, three...
0:40:06 > 0:40:10ROB: 'Since the operation, we've just noticed gains all the time
0:40:10 > 0:40:12'and they go in stages.'
0:40:12 > 0:40:15You ready?
0:40:15 > 0:40:18'You see small gains and you think, "Was it really worth it?
0:40:18 > 0:40:21'"Was it the right thing?"'
0:40:21 > 0:40:24All of a sudden you just see a big change very quickly
0:40:24 > 0:40:26and then you just think,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28"Yeah, it was 100% worth the effort."
0:40:30 > 0:40:34'He's becoming more confident in his own ability
0:40:34 > 0:40:36'and the main thing is he's got control,
0:40:36 > 0:40:39'which he didn't have pre the operation.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43'It was stopping him being able to walk.
0:40:44 > 0:40:45And today...
0:40:47 > 0:40:50..eight months after the life-changing operation...
0:40:50 > 0:40:52Hello!
0:40:52 > 0:40:56..they're here to meet the man who made it all happen.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58Look at you - no frame!
0:40:58 > 0:41:00After six longs years of pain, struggle,
0:41:00 > 0:41:03worry and setbacks for the Vaughan family...
0:41:04 > 0:41:07Take a step and you can grab my hand.
0:41:07 > 0:41:08Take a big step.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10..Brecon is finally walking.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13- WOMAN:- That is absolutely amazing.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17ROB: 'My biggest hope really is that he can just walk with his friends,
0:41:17 > 0:41:19'just like any other child really.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25'He may never run properly, but if he can do the majority of the things
0:41:25 > 0:41:28'other kids can do, chances are he's going to have a good little life.'
0:41:30 > 0:41:32Go on, I'm behind you.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35It's really good. It's good to see improvements that he's made.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37- WOMAN:- Well done!
0:41:37 > 0:41:40- DAN:- 'I wasn't expecting to see him walk as well as he was.'
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Dan's just Dan and he did a marvellous thing,
0:41:45 > 0:41:48an amazing thing,
0:41:48 > 0:41:53but I don't know whether Dan really understands what it's going
0:41:53 > 0:41:54to mean to Brecon in the end.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58It doesn't really seem like that big a deal to me.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02I just helped people out cos it was the right thing to do.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06Dan may not have been able to serve his country in the way he hoped,
0:42:06 > 0:42:07but he's made an incredible difference.
0:42:07 > 0:42:12I'm just proud of him any way, money or not.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16What's he's had to go through and how he still thinks of me and others,
0:42:16 > 0:42:19I'm so proud of him.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21Giving the money away, that's nothing.
0:42:24 > 0:42:31- ANNE:- I think Dan has given Brecon the ability to be able to walk
0:42:31 > 0:42:34far more sooner than we could ever have hoped for.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39We would have been a long way down the road yet before we would
0:42:39 > 0:42:40have got anywhere.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48Daniel's selfless, amazing...
0:42:51 > 0:42:52..gift...
0:42:52 > 0:42:57means Brecon, within the not-too-distant future, will be
0:42:57 > 0:42:59able to walk around independently...
0:43:01 > 0:43:05..and lead a much more normal life than we could have hoped for him.