A businessman who hired five illegal workers at his Sheffield car wash has been banned as a company director for eight years, and his company is being pursued for £75,000 for immigration breaches.
Lukas Horvath, 27, employed the workers at the Storm Hand Car Wash on Attercliffe Common, which was visited by Immigration Enforcement in 2022.
Horvath, of Lowedges Crescent, Sheffield, was disqualified at a hearing at the High Court in Manchester, and his directorship ban started today.
Dave Magrath, Director of Investigation and Enforcement Services at the Insolvency Service, said: “Company directors must follow all the rules and regulations that are required of them. Lukas Horvath failed to do this by employing five people who did not have the right to work at his car wash.
“Improving director conduct is a key priority for the Insolvency Service and we will continue to work with our partners at the Home Office to clamp down on those who do not meet the standards we expect.”
Storm Hand Car Wash, which trades as Storm Car Wash Limited, was incorporated in July 2020, with Horvath as its sole director.
Immigration Enforcement visited it in June 2022, finding five men in their 20s with no right to work in the UK. Three were from Eritrea, with the other two from Iran and Iraq.
Storm Hand Car Wash was fined £75,000 for the immigration breaches, which remains unpaid, but has been passed to specialist debt recovery contractors for enforcement action.
Theresa Gregory, the Home Office’s Immigration Compliance Enforcement lead for North East, Yorkshire & Humber, said: “Illegal working undercuts honest employers, places vulnerable individuals at risk of exploitation and disadvantages legitimate job seekers. It also impacts public finances as taxes are not paid by these businesses and workers, which is why tracking down unscrupulous employers is so important.
“We’re pleased to secure this director ban following an effective and close working relationship between the Home Office and the Insolvency Service.”
