{"id":61347,"date":"2015-09-11T10:32:48","date_gmt":"2015-09-11T10:32:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=7cdc0db1711a557b40643e2d5c763158"},"modified":"2015-09-11T10:32:48","modified_gmt":"2015-09-11T10:32:48","slug":"press-release-15-year-disqualification-order-for-director-of-land-banking-company-which-took-advantage-of-vulnerable-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=61347","title":{"rendered":"Press release: 15 year disqualification order for director of land banking company which took advantage of vulnerable people"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The investigation found that Newville Developments Limited, also known as Summit Land, cold-called vulnerable members of the public and misled them into purchasing plots of land within the green belt – including an area of outstanding natural beauty – for more than 6 times their original purchase price. At least 5 plots of land were sold in this way, netting the company in excess of \u00a3156,000. <\/p>\n

The disqualification follows investigation by the Official Receiver of the Public Interest Unit, a specialist team of the Insolvency Service, whose involvement commenced with the winding up of the company in the public interest in 2013. <\/p>\n

In spite of the misleading sales pitch, there was no likelihood of development taking place on any of these sites.
\nTo keep investors from discovering the truth, the company\u2019s sales team repeatedly provided customers with misleading information designed to give false expectations. Amongst the papers seized from the desks of Newville\u2019s salesmen were written notes from their calls to prospective victims, which indicate the callousness of their activities, such as:<\/p>\n

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Receptive man, will have to bully him into making the deal\u202690 yrs old doesn\u2019t want to gamble. But open-minded. Due for pacemaker replacement this week. Call bk next week.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In addition, Mr Jakubowski failed to maintain, preserve or deliver up the accounting records for the company, preventing the Official Receiver from establishing whether the company had additional investors or hidden assets.<\/p>\n

Commenting on this case Paul Titherington, Official Receiver in the Public Interest Unit, said:<\/p>\n

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Company directors enjoy the privilege of limited personal liability but if they run a business in a way that is detrimental to its customers, then they can expect to have that privilege taken away from them.. The Insolvency Service will investigate such individuals and seek to remove them from the business environment.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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The Insolvency Service is determined to come down hard on directors who set out to rip people off by deliberately misrepresenting the investment opportunity on offer.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The disqualification regime exists to protect the public. Mr Jakubowski\u2019s disqualification from 23 September 2015 means that he cannot promote, manage, or be a director of a limited company until 23 September 2030.<\/p>\n

Notes to Editors<\/h4>\n

Newville Development Limited (Company No. 07320635) was incorporated on 20 July 2010 and traded as Summit Land. Its trading address was at 1 Cresswell Park, Blackheath, London SE3 9RD.<\/p>\n

The petition to wind up the company was presented by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovations and Skills in the public interest following an investigation conducted by Company Investigations (Live), another specialist unit within the Insolvency Service which uses powers under the Companies Act 1985 (as amended) to conduct confidential enquiries into the activities of live limited companies in the UK on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovations & Skills (BIS). The winding up order against Newville Developments Limited was made on 13 March 2013.<\/p>\n

On 2 September 2015, in the High Court of Justice, Registrar Derrett ordered that Dominic Peter Jakubowski be disqualified for a period of 15 years. The period of disqualification will commence on 23 September 2015.<\/p>\n

A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:<\/p>\n