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Director who 'bent the law' awaits licence decision
Page 35
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A REMOVALS FIRM whose director admitted operating illegally until December last year must await a decision on a fresh licence application.
The director, Christopher Needham of Morecambe-based FOM Removals, had been disqualified from holding or obtaining an 0-licence for five years in January 2001 and is currently banned from being a company director.
Needham was seeking a licence for three vehicles and one trailer. The hearing had been adjourned to enable a chartered accountant to give evidence before the North-Western TC Beverley Bell (CM 29 June). He had persuaded a District Judge to give Needham permission to become a director of a company Needham said that when faced with unfair competition you had to "bend the law; you just did not close down". He added it was a different business from the past and he was sure he was quite capable of running it efficiently and within the law. Needham admitted he had a bad record in the past.
David Longton, a partner in chartered accountants Melville &Li Co, said the only invoices in the list of debtors involving transport matters were for work done before December 2005. All the other items were for storage and small removal ma ters. The company had moved from hire-or-reward haulage into storage and small removals, and was now trading profitably His role following the County Court proceedings was to supervise Needham's conduct and the financial affairs of the company — in effect it was that of a "whistleblower". He was unaware the company had been operating illegally, but was confident it would continue to trade profitably.
The TC will announce her decision in writing.