A Crays Hill businessman has been banned from running a business for seven years after his vehicle recovery firm went under with debts of £170,000.

David Mark Ancell Royston, a director of Crosspoint Recovery Services in Debden, was disqualified from being a company director or playing any part in the management of a company by London's High Court of Justice.

Mr Royston, of Cranwell, Oak Avenue, did not dispute failing to preserve or deliver accounting records for Crosspoint, which was wound up in September 1999 owing an estimated £176,319 to its creditors, and also admitted to failing to co-operate with the liquidator by allowing Racerfine Ltd, of which he was a director at the time, to occupy Crosspoint's trading premises.

He also allowed the company to continue trading to the detriment to of the Crown Departments for over a year, between May 1998 and the cessation of trading in July 1999.

A court can disqualify directors for anything from two to 15 years for unfit conduct. A breach of disqualification can result in a fine or prison sentence.

Published Thursday, March 7, 2002