Fife directors banned for total of 13 years over unpaid tax

Two Fife property developers have been banned from acting as directors for a total of 13 years

Richard Black, from Collessie, was banned for six years, and William Edmiston, from Kirkcaldy, for seven.

They were directors in Mellerstain Developments, which carried out projects across central Scotland.

The ruling, from the Insolvency Service - a Government agency connected to the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) - related to unpaid tax after the collapse of a company.

The business began to struggle and entered into liquidation in August 2018, which brought it to the attention of the Insolvency Service.

Investigators uncovered that, in June 2016, Mellerstain Developments sold land to Mr Black (54) and Mr Edmiston (55).

The land was the last asset that the company owned ,and when it was sold, the company owed the tax authorities more than £31,000, having agreed to settle the debt before November 2020.

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Mellerstain Developments, however, paid just over £24,000 to William Edmiston from the proceeds of the sale and just under £11,000 was paid in cash to an undisclosed party, while nothing was paid to the tax authorities to settle the outstanding liabilities.

On July 8, the Secretary of State accepted disqualification undertakings from Mr Black and Mr Edmiston after the property developers did not dispute acting to the detriment of the tax authorities.

Rob Clarke, chief investigator for the Insolvency Service, said: “Directors have a duty to ensure the correct amount of tax is paid but Richard Black and William Edmiston clearly thought the rules didn’t apply to them.

“Thankfully their activities were brought to the attention of the Insolvency Service. Their bans should serve as a stark warning to other directors there are severe consequences if you put your interests ahead of your creditors.”

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