Mother banned for allowing disqualified son to run company
Cardiff-based Sylvia and Roy Jones banned for total of 17 years after Sylvia allowed her son Roy to manage painting and decorating business while disqualified.
Sylvia (79) and Roy Jones (57) have signed disqualification undertakings which prohibit them from being involved, directly or indirectly, in the formation, promotion or management of a company, without the permission of the court.
Weston Decorating Specialists UK Limited was incorporated in September 2009 and formally began to trade in August 2011, providing painting and decorating services.
The company entered into Creditors Voluntary Liquidation in November 2017 before the Insolvency Service was made aware of misconduct carried out by the former registered director, Sylvia Jones, and the registered director at the date of liquidation, Roy Jones.
Upon closer inspection, investigators uncovered that Sylvia’s son, Roy Jones, had been acting as the director of Weston Decorating Specialists UK before he was appointed. This included dealing with trade suppliers and customers, signing cheques, and dealing with the company’s bank.
But that this was in direct contravention of a three-and-a-half-year ban Roy received in August 2013. This was in relation to a separate company with a similar sounding name, Weston Decorating Specialists Limited, after Roy failed to ensure the company paid its tax liabilities as and when they fell due, causing it to trade to the detriment of the tax authorities.
Sylvia Jones was the appointed director of Weston Decorating Specialists UK during the period of her son’s ban and despite being aware Roy’s disqualification, Sylvia allowed him to act as director of UK of the painting and decorating company.
Investigators also found that mother and son failed to ensure that the company paid its tax liabilities, causing Weston Decorating Specialists UK to trade to the detriment of the tax authorities.
Mother and son signed their disqualification undertakings on 27 November 2019. Roy Jones was banned for 11 years after he did not dispute that he acted as a director whilst disqualified.
Sylvia did not dispute that she allowed her son to act as a director whilst disqualified and her ban lasts for 6 years.
Robert Clarke, Chief Investigator for the Insolvency Service, said:
Sylvia had a legal duty to be a responsible director but completely failed when she allowed her son to continue running the painting and decorating company despite being fully aware Roy was banned from doing so.
This ban is a warning that such behavior will not be tolerated and where misconduct is discovered, we will pursue enforcement measures against rogue directors.
Notes to editors
Roy Jones is of St Fagans, Cardiff, and his date of birth is January 1962
Sylvia Jones is of Cardiff, and her date of birth is September 1940
Weston Decorating Specialists UK Limited (Company number: 07026872)
Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of restrictions.
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