Businessman banned from being a company director for life
The High Court order is the result of Michael Le Roy's repeated breaches of restrictions imposed on him while bankrupt, causing tens of thousands of dollars in financial losses and damage to an Amberley property where he stockpiled used tyres.
The order permanently prohibited him from being a director or promoter of, or in any way directly or indirectly, taking part in the management of a company under the Companies Act 1993.
Le Roy was sentenced to three years jail in 2022 for forging documents, misleading the Official Assignee, unpaid tax deductions for three separate companies of nearly $60,000 and taking part in managing companies while bankrupt.
He was declared bankrupt in 2010 after his waste disposal business went into liquidation, leading him to abandon 500 tonnes of rubbish on a lifestyle block that he was leasing, leaving the landowner with a $45,000 removal bill.
Le Roy was declared bankrupt for a second time in 2018, but continued to manage companies and later faced charges filed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and the Inland Revenue Commissioner.
He did not comply with a Canterbury Regional Council order to remove tyres from the Amberley property, with removal costs estimated to be around $500,000.
He later leased a warehouse and owed around $65,000 in lease arrears, along with a $134,000 tyre removal bill for the owner when he was evicted.
At his sentencing in 2022, Christchurch District Court judge Raoul Neave noted the significant losses that resulted from his offending.
"Considerable havoc has been left in your wake," he said.
"You ignored warnings both from MBIE and the Inland Revenue. You of course have the previous history of bankruptcy, so you knew what your obligations were, and you knew you were flagrantly in breach of those obligations."
MBIE business registries investigations and compliance team manager Vanessa Cook said Le Roy was one of handful of people that had been banned for life from directing a business.
"There is good reason for Mr Le Roy to be permanently prohibited from being involved in managing any company under section 383 of the Companies Act based on his previous convictions and the serious risk of financial harm to the public should he be allowed to carry on business activities in the future," she said.
"Mr Le Roy's conduct to date is amongst the most serious of cases of this type."
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