North Yorkshire ex-Porsche dealer imprisoned for fraudulent trading

A erstwhile manager of a North Yorkshire car dealership has been jailed aft admitting fraudulent trading that near customers and investors astir £1.5m retired of pocket, with the lawsuit centred connected the misuse of lawsuit funds and vehicle-backed concern arrangements.

John Patrick Hawkins, 66, was sentenced astatine Bradford Crown Court aft pleading blameworthy to fraudulent trading linked to his absorption of Specialist Cars of Malton Limited betwixt precocious 2018 and February 2020.

Reporting by TeessideLive said the tribunal heard the business, which traded successful high-value Porsche vehicles, ran into expanding fiscal trouble arsenic losses mounted and reliance connected an overdraft grew.

Judge Ahmed Nadim told the tribunal that Hawkins was the sole manager and had continued trading portion insolvent, utilizing wealth from caller customers to conscionable existing liabilities. The justice described the behaviour arsenic a “sustained” people of dishonesty alternatively than a short-term lapse, with lawsuit deposits and merchantability proceeds diverted to support the concern operating.

By 2019, Hawkins was successful superior fiscal trouble and began misleading customers, lenders and investors, the tribunal was told. This included selling vehicles connected behalf of owners without passing connected proceeds, and raising concern against vehicles helium did not own. The justice said the £1.5m fig did not afloat bespeak the interaction connected victims, galore of whom had placed spot successful the business.

One lawsuit progressive a widow who was persuaded to merchantability her precocious husband’s Porsche to money her retirement. The car was sold without her cognition and she received nary money. The justice said her “financial information was taken”.

Dozens of customers and investors were affected, with the tribunal proceeding that Hawkins obtained hundreds of thousands of pounds done vehicle-backed loans and concern schemes linked to classical and high-value cars. False documents were utilized to reassure creditors and lenders, prolonging trading portion losses deepened.

In mitigation, defence barrister Susannah Proctor said Hawkins believed helium could retrieve the concern and aboriginal liquidation showed that content was misplaced. She said helium was “ashamed” of the interaction connected his family, had nary important assets, and present lived successful rented accommodation. Further proceedings nether the Proceeds of Crime Act volition see confiscation.

Judge Nadim imposed a 10-year prohibition connected Hawkins acting arsenic a institution director. A confiscation proceeding is expected aboriginal this year.

North Yorkshire Police fraud researcher Constable Emma Harris said Hawkins repeatedly lied to customers and falsified documents to support the quality of a viable operation, adding that the fiscal consequences for victims were severe.