ONE OF "Britain's most-wanted tax fugitives" is today finally serving the jail term she was given nine years ago for her role in a billion-pound VAT fraud.

Sarah Panitzke, 48, originally from Fulford, went on the run in 2013 during her trial..

She fled abroad, but she was tracked down by British and foreign law enforcement agencies, and this year she was extradited back to the UK from Spain after nine years on the run.

During the period while she was at large, she was listed in the British National Crime Agency's most-wanted appeals.

Today she started her eight-year prison sentence.

Panitzke was brought before Kingston Crown Court in south-west London in custody after her arrival in the UK.

At the end of the hearing, Judge Sarah Plaschkes QC told her: "Stand up please.

"As you have heard you were sentenced in your absence by his honour Judge Campbell at this court on the 22nd August 2013 to eight years imprisonment.

"That sentence will start today now that you have been extradited to this country.

"That means that you will serve at least half of that sentence in custody before you may be released on licence.

"When you are released on licence, if you commit any further offence you may serve the rest of your sentence in custody.

"In the circumstances, there are no further orders that I need to make and nothing further that I need to say."

Panitzke absconded in May 2013 while standing trial for money laundering offences.

The trial continued in her absence, she was convicted and sentenced in her absence to eight years in prison.

She had been charged with 16 co-conspirators. Between them, the 17 were given sentences totalling 135 years for a multimillion-pound VAT fraud, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said earlier this year.

On February 27 this year, police officers arrested Panitzke while she walked her two dogs in the small town of Santa Barbara near the Catalan coast.

The operation was led by the Spanish Guardia Civil, working alongside HMRC.

Following her arrest in February, Simon York, director of the fraud investigation service, HMRC, said "Sarah Panitzke was one of Britain's most-wanted tax fugitives.

"She played a pivotal role in a multimillion-pound VAT fraud and moved millions through offshore bank accounts.

"Panitzke thought she had put herself outside of the reach of HMRC, but through our work with UK law enforcement and international partners we have tracked down another tax fugitive. No tax criminal is beyond our reach.

"We have helped secure the return of more than 60 fugitives since 2016, including some of the UK's most-harmful tax cheats."