Valdek Hetman (61), from Ilkeston, Nottinghamshire, received the maximum ban possible and was joined at Derby Crown Court on Monday 1 October by his accomplice Brendon Doherty, who received a 5-year directorship disqualification for assisting him to carry out his offences.

At an earlier hearing on 28 September at Derby Crown Court, Valdek Hetman also received a 6 months’ prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and pay £750 costs. Brendon Doherty was ordered to pay a £600 fine.

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.

And two years later, he accepted a disqualification undertaking that prevented Valdek Hetman from running companies for 10 years in July 2016 for his role in the liquidation of Abbey Constructions Midlands Limited.

However, despite agreeing to be disqualified and having a range of restrictions placed upon him, Valdek Hetman continued to run companies in direct contravention of the disqualification undertaking he had personally signed.

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

Furthermore, Abbey Construction (East Midlands) Limited had been made subject to compulsory liquidation in March 2015 and the name was banned from being used again. However, Hetman and Doherty committed a further offence when they traded using the name Abbey Construction East Midlands Limited, which was deemed similar to the banned name and allowed them to benefit from the association.

When interviewed by the Insolvency Service, the construction boss said he did not accept the facts given in the disqualification he had personally accepted in 2016.

Valdek Hetman 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 was going 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.

A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:

• act as a director of a company
• take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership
• be a receiver of a company’s property

Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.

The Insolvency Service administers the insolvency regime, investigating all compulsory liquidations and individual insolvencies (bankruptcies) through the Official Receiver to establish why they became insolvent. It may also use powers under the Companies Act 1985 to conduct confidential fact-finding investigations into the activities of live limited companies in the UK. In addition, the agency deals with disqualification of directors in corporate failures, assesses and pays statutory entitlement to redundancy payments when an employer cannot or will not pay employees, provides banking and investment services for bankruptcy and liquidation estate funds and advises ministers and other government departments on insolvency law and practice.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 7674 6910 or 020 7596 6187

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

The Joint Working Group, which takes place on Sunday, will focus on the UK and Oman’s partnership on areas such as trade, education and tourism. It will also be an opportunity to discuss regional issues such as the conflicts in Yemen and Syria, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The Minister’s visit also coincides with the Saif Sareea military exercise, which will see Royal Navy ships, Royal Air Force Typhoons and British Army troops train alongside Omani forces in their largest joint exercise for 17 years.

While in Oman, Minister Burt will have the opportunity to see other areas of UK-Omani cooperation in practice. These include a venture between the UK Premier League and the Oman Football Association whereby UK Football Coaches from Bournemouth FC have travelled to Oman to train Omani football coaches. Minister Burt will also attend a roundtable with female alumni of UK universities now working in Oman to improve access to education.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Minister Burt said:

Cooperation between the UK and Oman continues to go from strength to strength. My visit this week is an opportunity to see some tangible examples of that cooperation – from the 5,500 UK troops involved in the joint UK-Oman military exercise, to British football coaches training their Omani counterparts.

Oman remains a lynchpin of relations in the Middle East region, and as ever I value their expertise on Yemen, Syria and wider Gulf issues. The 14th Joint Working Group between our countries is a chance to discuss these areas and build on the positive investment, trade and tourism relationship between the UK and Oman.

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are seeking views on proposals to introduce Inshore Vessel Monitoring Systems (I-VMS) for all licensed British fishing boats under 12 metres in length, operating in English waters. This also covers English boats operating outside of English waters.

VMS has been used as a monitoring system for UK vessels of 12 metres and over since 2013. The system records the location, speed and heading of a vessel using GPRS technology. Introducing I-VMS for under 12 metre vessels will provide a more accurate picture on fishing location and activity, which will help inform future fisheries management and sustainability.

The data could also allow fishermen to market their produce as sustainably caught, providing consumers with greater awareness of where their fish has come from and helping them to make more informed decisions.

Fisheries Minister George Eustice said:

“Monitoring systems play a crucial role in developing a framework for fisheries management that is both profitable and sustainable – and that allows all sections of our fleet to thrive.

“I now encourage everyone with an interest to have their say by responding to the consultation.”

It is proposed that the initial cost and installation of the equipment will be met by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund in order to minimise cost to industry.

The six week consultation will close on 14 November 2018.

Interested parties are invited to share their views either online or by post to:

The new ‘North West Nuclear Community Apprenticeship Programme’ will boost employment opportunities for local people, and help drive economic growth in the region.

The courses offered will range from customer services, property maintenance and scaffolding to potentially more diverse professions like logistics and horticulture.

Les Studholme, Head of Training for Sellafield Ltd said:

We are delighted to be using a community apprentice programme to not only boost nuclear capability, but also create a pipeline of skills that will help Cumbria achieve its unlimited potential.

The mission at Sellafield is changing, and while we need new skills to drive forward our environmental clean-up, we are also helping to build a diverse and resilient supply chain and community.

Developed by Sellafield Ltd, the programme will be delivered and managed independently by the Cumbria Apprentice Training Agency (CATA), who will work with the employers, employment agencies and a range of local training providers.

It is supported by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), Nuclear Skills Strategy Group (NSSG), Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster (BECBC).

Sellafield Ltd is the first in the UK to run the scheme, which will then be rolled out all over the country.

Les added;

This apprenticeship programme has been designed to address the specific skills shortages faced by Cumbria.

It will also provide more accessible paths to professional qualifications and job opportunities, for anyone over the age of 16, including additional support for those with barriers to education and employment.

These schemes offer people the transferable skills that will be valuable to a thriving economy.

This could be within the supply chain supporting the Sellafield mission, or working in business, tourism, healthcare or education, the opportunities are vast.

With no upper age limit, it will provide local people with accessible paths to professional qualifications and employment, and enhance the skills of the broader Cumbrian workforce.

A range of small companies will be identified as host employers in the coming months, and will be matched to apprentices once they are recruited next year.

Jacq Longrigg, Head of Skills & Talent for the NDA said:

This scheme is a strategic investment from the NDA & Sellafield Ltd.

Supporting access to careers in nuclear and enabling those smallest organisations within our supply chain and local communities to employ an apprentice is a priority for us, as the first phase of a wider north west project.

Craig Ivison, Head of Employment and Skills for the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership said:

Cumbria LEP fully supports this exciting and innovative initiative to increase apprenticeship opportunities in the county.

It will also help smaller employers to fully engage in apprenticeships to create the future workforce for their organisation.

Fiona Rayment chair of the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group said;

This scheme represents one of the first projects to begin to achieve the targets set in the recent Nuclear Sector Deal.

We have to increase the number of apprenticeships to over 2000 within the next two years and this project will help support this challenge while generating a positive social impact.