Director ban for accountant Andrew Campbell

ACCOUNTANT Andrew Campbell has been handed a three-year director ban for running up tax debts at his old firm Campbell Woolley.

The Manchester-based practice went into administration at the end of 2010 with debts of £750,000. Its assets were bought by Crowe Clark Whitehill, which Mr Campbell joined and worked for until December.

According to his Linkedin profile he is now a partner at a firm called Clear Strategy in Manchester.

An investigation by the Insolvency Service found Campbell Woolley had not paid VAT, and tax due on wages and salaries over an 18-month period. It ran up tax debts of £370,000 and a further £193,000 was owed by a service company which had employed the firm’s staff.

Robert Clarke, head of Insolvent Investigations North at the Insolvency Service, said: “Mr Campbell’s undertaking sends a clear message to company directors, the business community and the public: if you run a company ignoring the interests of creditors and tax rules you will be in our sights and we will investigate you.

“Companies and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) have limited liability, which is a privilege, not a right. If directors operate outside the legal rules, the privilege will be withdrawn.”

Mr Campbell launched Campbell Woolley in November 2008 following its demerger from Manchester-based Ford Campbell. It initially had three partners, but both Tony Woolley and former audit partner Graham Travis resigned from the practice in 2010, leaving Mr Campbell as the only remaining partner.

Mr Campbell could not be reached for comment.