The founder of online Manchester lifestyle magazine Manchester Confidential has been banned from sitting as company director after an investigation revealed he ran a business while bankrupt.
Mark Garner, known by many as food writer ‘Gordo’, was slapped with a £3,000 fine at Manchester Magistrates’ Court after a government inquiry.
The Insolvency Service discovered that he acted as company director of Planet Confidential Ltd for 12 months while he was undischarged bankrupt, something which is a criminal offence.
He also failed to provide information which was reasonably required by the company’s liquidator.
On top of the fine the 57-year-old is banned from being a company director for 12 years and is also facing an unpaid tax bill of £340,000 from the period January 2009 to February 2011.
Rob Clarke, Head of Insolvent Investigations North at the Insolvency Service, said: “Company directors should be under no illusion that it is a criminal offence to act as a company director whilst an undischarged bankrupt, and Mr Garner now has the criminal record to show for it.
“Directors who breach their bankruptcy restrictions should be in no doubt that the Insolvency Service will investigate and the Department for Business will prosecute those who choose to ignore this warning.”
Image courtesy of Huddled NW via YouTube, with thanks
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