Valdek Hetman, 61, from Ilkeston, Nottinghamshire, received the maximum ban possible and was joined at Derby Crown Court this week by his accomplice Brendon Doherty, who received a five-year directorship disqualification for assisting him to carry out his offences.

At an earlier hearing at Derby Crown Court, Hetman also received a six 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 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 him from running companies for 10 years in July 2016 for his role in the liquidation of Abbey Constructions Midlands Limited.

But despite agreeing to be disqualified and having a range of restrictions placed upon him, Hetman continued to run companies.

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.

But 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.

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. Hetman pleaded guilty to two counts of managing a company while disqualified and one count of managing a business known by a prohibited name.

Doherty pleaded guilty to one count of assisting Hetman to act in the management of companies.