Brentwood solicitor disqualified for £200,000 debt
Former principal partner of Scannells Hunt banned from acting as a director for five years
A Brentwood solicitor has been disqualified as a director for five years after non-payment of a crown debt of over £200,000.
Elizabeth Cousins, a former principal partner of Scannells Hunt, was disqualified following an investigation by the Insolvency Service.
Scannells Hunt was placed in liquidation on 21 November 2012 with a tax liability of over £238,709 owed to HMRC.
Cousins has given an undertaking to the secretary of state for business, innovation and skills, which means that she is bound for five years until June 2020. In addition, she cannot manage or control a company during this period.
In signing her disqualification undertaking, Cousins admitted that she had failed to ensure Scannells Hunt complied with its statutory obligation and had caused it to trade to the detriment of HMRC.
Mark Bruce, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: 'The Insolvency Service will rigorously pursue persons who seek to undermine the tax system by attempting to avoid their statutory obligations to HMRC.
'Limited liability protection is a privilege to ensure businesses trade in an open and fair market. Such protection is only available to those who comply with their obligations. If those obligations are ignored, that protection will be withdrawn.'