Designers Dolce And Gabbana were found guilty at a court hearing yesterday afternoon
Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have been found guilty of tax evasion and sentenced to one year and eight months in an Italian jail.
READ: DOLCE AND GABBANA FACING JAIL OVER TAX EVASION
The duo were sentenced at a court in Milan yesterday afternooon, but neither were present at the hearing.
According to reports, a jury met for three hours today to discuss the case, with Judge Antonella Brambilla eventually passing the prison sentence.
It's expected that Dolce And Gabbana will appeal the sentence, with fashion sources saying it is unlikely either will actually spend any time in prison.
The complicated tax evasion case dates back to 2004 when the Dolce & Gabbana and D&G brands were sold to Gado Srl, a holding company set up by the designers.
Italian prosecutors claim that the company was set up to enable the pair to avoid paying taxes - charges which the designers have strongly denied.
In April 2011, a judge dismissed the charges against them as 'unsubstantiated,' but by the following November, the Supreme Court of Cassation had ordered a retrial, saying: 'tax avoidance, or tax mitigation on an earnings declaration is a criminal offence under the law'.
Now the pair have been found guilty and sentenced to 20 months behind bars.
Representatives for either designer are yet to comment.
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