A company director has been sentenced to 21 months in prison at Plymouth Crown Court after pleading guilty to acting in the management of limited companies while disqualified.
Eoin Frederick Murray, aged 53 from Torquay, was in the construction business and had provided undertakings in 2006 not to act as a company director, or be involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, for six years.
Almost one year later he had provided further undertakings banning him from being involved in a company for nine years and in 2011 was made bankrupt for a third time.
Murray claimed to be just an employee at the companies concerned but in fact had played a leading role in their formation and management.
He would frequently issue cheques to those working for him and to suppliers while knowing there were insufficient funds to cover them.
He also stopped cheques before they presented or cleared in order to avoid satisfying debts.
David John Constable, aged 68, from Buckfastleigh, had acted as the “cover” company director, principally of South Devon Construction SW Limited, for Mr Murray.
Liam Mannall, Deputy Chief Investigation Officer at Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, said: “Mr Murray acted with a complete disregard for the law and his conduct left individuals and traders out of pocket.”
“He could not have acted as he did without the assistance provided by Mr Constable.”
Murray pleaded guilty to three counts of acting in the management of a company whilst disqualified, two counts of acting in the management of a company whilst an undischarged bankrupt and seven counts of fraud by false representation, relating to a number of unpaid cheques.
Constable pleaded guilty to four counts of aiding and abetting Mr Murray in the management of two companies and was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment with 150 hours unpaid work.
Constable was also ordered to pay £1,000 prosecution costs.
Leave a comment