Construction firms’ boss banned after wrongly claiming Bounce Back Loans

The director of four construction companies overstated their turnover to falsely claim £200,000 in covid-19 financial support loans.

Stephen Burke, 63, from Rotherham, has been disqualified as a director for 11 years.

Burke was director of four companies that provided services to construction projects: Yorkshire Plant Hire and Sales Ltd; Yorkshire Site Preparation Ltd; Woodhouse Civil Engineering Ltd; and Richmond Brokers Ltd.

One of the four companies, Yorkshire Site Preparation Ltd, was listed as dormant with Companies House by January 2020. Of the other three, their company accounts ending January 2020 indicated turnover ranging from just £635 to £3,400.

But Burke stated on the application forms that turnover was between £200,000 and £320,000 for each company. This allowed him to secure four Bounce Back Loans for the full £50,000 permitted under the scheme.

He spent £174,000 repaying a personal loan to his former partner, which was also a breach of the loans’ conditions.

In February 2021, he sought to dissolve all four companies. This was blocked due to the outstanding loans being identified, and instead the companies were placed in liquidation. The Liquidator has begun recovery action.

Burke admitted obtaining £200,000 in government Bounce Back Loans by overstating company turnover, then using the funds obtained to repay a personal loan and not for the economic benefit of the company.

His ban is effective from 4 August 2022 and lasts for 11 years.

The disqualification prevents him from directly, or indirectly, becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.