Court Orders Maximum Ban for Construction Boss

A construction boss has been banned by Derby Crown Court for 15 years after he was found running companies despite previously agreeing to be disqualified.

On October 1, Valdek Hetman, from Ilkeston, Nottinghamshire, received the maximum ban possible. His accomplice, Brendon Doherty, received a 5-year directorship disqualification for assisting him to carry out the offences.

The court heard that Valdek Hetman was made bankrupt for 12 months in July 2014, having been petitioned by a supplies company for unpaid bills. Two years later, he accepted a disqualification that prevented him from running companies for 10 years in July 2016 for his role in the liquidation of Abbey Constructions Midlands Limited.

Following complaints to the Insolvency Service, investigators found proof that Valdek Hetman had been running two companies, despite agreeing to be disqualified: Abbey Construction Group (East Midlands) Limited and Abbey Construction East Midlands Limited.

Maximum Ban for Construction Boss

The construction boss and his accomplice committed a further offence when they began to trade under the name of Abbey Construction East Midlands Limited, which was deemed too similar to the former Abbey Construction (East Midlands) Limited that had been made subject to compulsory liquidation in March 2015. The court heard how the pair attempted to benefit from the association’s name.

When interviewed by the Insolvency Service, Valdek Hetman said he did not accept the facts given in the disqualification he had personally accepted in 2016. He also claimed that he worked as a contracts manager and Brendon Doherty (36) from Nottingham was the real boss and the listed director of Abbey Construction Group (East Midlands) Limited and Abbey Construction East Midlands Limited.

Arwel Jones, Director of Criminal Enforcement for the Insolvency Service, said: “We were able to demonstrate in spite of Valdek Hetman’s assertions, he was clearly running those companies, while his accomplice, Brendon Doherty, knew exactly what he was doing when he played Hetman’s front-man.

“Our actions should serve as a warning that running a company while serving a ban is a serious offence that will land you in further trouble.”

On 4 September 2018 both defendants appeared at Derby Crown Court. Valdek Hetman pleaded guilty to two counts of managing a company while disqualified and one count of managing a business known by a prohibited name.

Brendon Doherty was pleaded guilty to one count of assisting Valdek Hetman to act in the management of companies.