A Bedfordshire joiner whose two companies failed to pay more than £300,000 in tax has been sentenced after ignoring a director disqualification.
Robert Kurzawa, 45, was banned as a director for three years in 2017 after his company, RK UK Construction Ltd, went into liquidation owing more than £195,000 in tax.
However, Kurzawa continued acting as a director of his separate company, RK UK Joinery Ltd, in all but name following his disqualification.
RK UK Joinery Ltd was wound up by the courts in November 2018 following a petition from HMRC in relation to a further £108,000 in unpaid taxes.
Kurzawa’s first company, RK UK Construction Ltd, was established in September 2008. RK UK Joinery Ltd was set up in August 2013.
RK UK Construction Ltd was liquidated in September 2015 owing £195,361 in PAYE, national insurance contributions, Construction Industry Scheme deductions and corporation tax.
This failure to pay the correct amount of tax resulted in Kurzawa being disqualified as a company director in April 2017.
Kurzawa officially resigned as a director of RK UK Joinery Ltd the day after he was banned.
‘A serious offence’
However, investigations by the Insolvency Service revealed that Kurzawa retained control of the company bank accounts and remained the sole named person on all trade receipts following his disqualification.
Kurzawa was also referred to as the director of the company when he tried to set up a payment plan for debts owed to HMRC.
HMRC presented a winding-up petition to the courts in October 2018, claiming that RK UK Joinery Ltd had failed to pay £108,796 in tax. Trade creditors were also owed more than £50,000.
The company was shut down the following month.
Kurzawa, of Crabtree Way, Dunstable, was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, at Luton Crown Court on 5 September.
He was also disqualified as a company director for a further four years.
David Snasdell, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: “Directors breaching their disqualifications is a serious offence which undermines economic confidence. If unfit directors such as Robert Kurzawa continue to act in that role, there is an increased risk that the companies they manage will go into liquidation, with a loss to creditors.
“This is exactly what happened when Kurzawa deliberately ignored the restrictions that were placed on him.”
The Insolvency Service is seeking a confiscation of funds against Kurzawa under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
