Banned boss sentenced after illegally running company

A MAN originally from West Yorkshire has been sentenced to a 12-month suspended prison term after pleading guilty to running a company in breach of a directorship disqualification.

Andrew Peter Brian, 54, formerly of Ripponden and now of Ware, Hertfordshire, was sentenced following an investigation led by the Insolvency Service.

His son Thomas Roger Brian, 31, also from Ware, and Stephen Terrence O’Connor, 65, from Halifax, received community orders.

The court heard details of an investigation into a company called Met Euro Limited. Incorporated in February 2011, Met Euro supplied component parts used in engineered manufactured products.

According to the register, Met Euro had two directors. The first was O’Connor and when he resigned in February 2013, Thomas Brian became the appointed director.

During this time, the company struggled to pay its debts from 2012 and by 2014 owed more than £255,000 and faced legal action from creditors.

The company entered into Creditors Voluntary Liquidation in March 2014 and this triggered a probe by the Insolvency Service into the conduct of the directors.

The service found that while O’Connor and Thomas Brian were the registered directors, behind the scenes it was Andrew Brian who was controlling the company on a day-to-day basis.

The court heard throughout the proceedings that creditors said they dealt with Andrew Brian in all business matters.

The registration of other directors, including his own son, helped Andrew Brian get round the fact that he had voluntarily signed a six-year disqualification undertaking in February 2009 after causing his previous company to owe a large amount of tax.

Enquiries found Andrew Brian and his family substantially benefited from Met Euro’s accounts. For example, payments were made to the joint mortgage account of Andrew Brian and his wife.

Andrew Brian, Thomas Brian and O’Connor all appeared for sentence before Mr Recorder Doig at Bradford Crown Court on 23 May.

Prior to sentence, Andrew Brian signed a disqualification undertaking for 12 years, while Thomas Brian and O’Connor each provided five-year disqualification undertakings for their misconduct in the management of Met Euro.

John Ingham, Criminal Investigator for the Insolvency Service, said: “Not only did Andrew Brian abuse the company accounts for personal benefit, he sought to conceal his actions behind others, including his own son.

“This sentence should serve as a clear warning to other rogue directors – including those that help them carry out their illegal activities – that running a company while banned is a serious offence and could land you with a criminal conviction.”

 

 

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