Neil Maloney (45), from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was sentenced to 21 months, suspended for 2 years, for fraud offences after taking more than £26,000 in credit from a car parts distributor.

Neil Maloney was made bankrupt in December 2015 and his discharge from bankruptcy was suspended indefinitely.

Between May and July 2017, the defendant obtained more than £26,000 credit from a car parts company, claiming he was trading as a business called Transit Parts North West.

The court heard that Neil Maloney presented cheques to the business to pay for the credit from a company bank account in the name Truck & Trailer Exports Ltd.

It was discovered, however, that Neil Maloney was director of the company but that it had been dissolved in 2011 when the bank account was closed.

The Insolvency Service then started an investigation into Neil Maloney.

The investigation found that when the company attempted to recover the debt, a mistake had been made and Neil Maloney’s surname was wrongly inputted as ‘Matoney’.

Neil Maloney claimed that Neil Matoney was a real person, based in Malta, and Neil Maloney dealt with the day to day running of the company.

The investigation also discovered Neil Maloney had received credit of more than £7,300 from an inheritance which he failed to disclose to the Official Receiver, as he was required to under the terms of his bankruptcy. Instead, Neil Maloney sent the money to his wife.

A statutory demand was also sent, and the defendant agreed to pay the debt. However, the court was told he failed to do so.

The defendant appeared at Preston Crown Court on 22 April for sentencing.

Julie Barnes, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

Neil Maloney knew and understood the responsibilities and restrictions of his bankruptcy. Despite this, he knowingly breached these by keeping inheritance funds and fraudulently applying for more than £26,000 in credits.

Neil Maloney tried to evade prosecution by claiming the credit was taken by a colleague with an almost identical name, but this case shows we will investigate and pursue wrongdoers to bring them before the courts.

Neil Thomas Maloney is from Oswaldtwistle and his date of birth is January 1976.

The sentence result was announced at Preston Crown Court by Judge Knowles QC.

On 22 April Maloney had pleaded guilty to 5 counts of fraud by false representation, 2 counts of obtaining credit without giving relevant information and 2 counts of non-disclosure.

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

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Following a significant flood event in Mevagissey in November 2010, the Environment Agency introduced a pilot flood warning service which relayed flood risk information to volunteer flood wardens to disseminate out to the community.

The new flood warning service is a significant improvement in the level of service being offered, with the ability to contact those residents at flood risk directly.  This provides more time for the community to take action to protect themselves and their property – crucial in an area that is at risk of flash flooding.

Over 160 properties will be auto-registered to receive flood warnings for the Mevagissey Stream.

Flood warnings tell people about an imminent risk of flooding to their home or business and help people make informed decisions about how to respond. There are 3 types of warning – Flood Alert, Flood Warning and Severe Flood Warning. Each warning type is triggered by particular weather, river or sea conditions which cause flooding.

Householders are encouraged to prepare if they receive a Flood Alert which could mean packing a bag that includes medicines, insurance documents and anything else they wouldn’t want to lose if flooding were to take place. A Flood Warning calls on people to act now which means turning off gas, water and electricity and moving family and pets to safety. A Severe Flood Warning means you are in immediate danger and to follow advice from emergency services.

Helen Dobby Environment Agency Area Director said:

We know the devastating impact that flooding can have, which is why protecting people and communities is our top priority.

However, the climate emergency means we cannot prevent all flooding – so we’re working to make communities resilient to future flooding.

We want to ensure that everyone has as much time as possible to prepare for flooding which is why we’re pleased that people in Mevagissey will now be able to receive our free flood warning service.

Additional funding from the government has enabled the Environment Agency to invest in the latest technology and infrastructure needed to provide a flood warning service in Mevagissey and over 200 other communities across England. In total an additional 62,000 properties at risk of flooding will receive Flood Warnings between now and the end of 2022.

Home and business owners will be auto enrolled to the flood warning service via their mobile network. However, to get the most benefit out of the service the Environment Agency is encouraging people to register directly with them by calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188, or visiting https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings where they can register preferred contact details.

Notes for editors

• 5.2 million properties in England are at risk of flooding
• The average cost of flood damage to a home is £30,000
• The average cost of flooding to a business is £82,000
• If you are flooded, temporary accommodation costs on average £10,000
• If you are flooded you are likely to be out of your home for an average of 5 months
• Know what to do when you receive a flood warning and download our 3 point flood plan – https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/what-to-do-in-a-flood