A key figure in a scheme designed to undermine the insolvency system has been banned as a company director for nine years.
Neville Taylor, 57, was paid more than £250,000 by Atherton Corporate (UK) Ltd to become the sole director of more than 400 companies.
Taylor’s disqualification, based on his conduct as director of ta dozen companies, including six in West Yorkshire, means he will have to step down as director of at least 196 companies from his correspondence address of Bridge Street, in Kington in Herefordshire. He will also no longer be able to act as director of more than 250 companies.
Dave Magrath, Director of Investigation and Enforcement Services at the Insolvency Service, said: “Neville Taylor hampered efforts by liquidators to identify assets, caused a widespread loss to creditors and breached his duties as a director to act in the best interest of the companies and creditors.
“He also accepted that his conduct was part of a scheme designed to subvert and undermine insolvency legislation.
“Taylor made inadequate attempts to identify and locate millions of pounds of assets, to obtain company records, or to make himself aware of the companies’ trading. At the same time, he was paid by Atherton Corporate (UK) Ltd to enable this scheme.
“By disqualifying Taylor, we are making it clear that we will not tolerate those who avoid their legal duties as directors or seek to enable phoenixism.”
Taylor became sole director of the companies at various points between April 2022 and March 2023 after they had ceased trading but before they entered liquidation.
Insolvency Service analysis of bank statements revealed Taylor was paid £266,914 by Atherton Corporate (UK) Ltd to perform this role.
The companies had combined assets of £8,278,912 according to their final filed accounts.
By the time the companies entered liquidation with Taylor at the helm, their estimated assets stood at only £676,169, a decrease of more than £7.6 million.
