Seven-year sanction for Middlesbrough electrician who abused Covid loans
- 06 November 2024
Middlesbrough electrician Robert Emson has been handed a seven-year disqualification for abusing Covid loans and failing to co-operate with The Insolvency Service.
Mr Emson, the director of REM Electrical Services Limited, claimed cash under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) to cover the cost of fictitious invoices, including one for £7,100. He also created false wage records to make staff appear eligible for the furlough scheme.
Mr Emson failed to respond to requests for information from Insolvency Service investigators, repeatedly failed to provide key financial information and did not attend interviews. In light of his obstructive behaviour, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from Mr Emson, preventing him from acting as a company director for seven years.
David Hill, Chief Investigator for The Insolvency Service, said:
“Covid support schemes were put in place to help businesses survive a difficult period, not be abused by rogue directors like Mr Emson.
“The Insolvency Service takes its role as a watchdog seriously and will act to remove directors who steal from their companies and obstruct our investigations.”
“The Insolvency Service has accepted a disqualification undertaking from Mr Emson after he failed to respond to our requests for information and provide us with the necessary financial documents to investigate the true extent and nature of his offending. By imposing a seven-year disqualification we can ensure he is prevented from abusing his position again in the future.”
Notes to editors
Robert Emson is from Middlesbrough and was the sole director of REM Electrical Services Limited (Company Number 12887100).
The disqualification was accepted on 31 October 2024. The disqualification order commences on 14 November 2024 and restricts Mr Emson from acting as a company director, directly or indirectly, until 13 November 2031.
The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) was a government-backed scheme designed to support small and medium-sized businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The furlough scheme was a government scheme that paid 80% of the wages of employees who were unable to work due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Seven-year sanction for Middlesbrough electrician who abused Covid loans
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