Former 39 Essex Street QC Rohan Pershad has been jailed for three and a half years after being found guilty of tax fraud worth more than £600,000.

The sentencing today (26 February) in court room five of Blackfriars Crown Court comes after clinical negligence specialist Pershad took silk just two years ago.

Investigators at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) found that Pershad failed to declare or pay £627,839 of VAT over a period of 12 years, instead spending the cash on luxury homes and private school fees for his children.