Civils boss banned over classic car sales

Grant Prior 30 minutes ago
Share

A Staffordshire civil engineering boss who sold seven historic cars including two Jaguars and three Rolls-Royces for just £1 to another company he also controlled has been banned as a director.

Kulbarg Singh, 62, was the director of Aldridge Construction Engineering Ltd when he entered into an asset purchase agreement with Ace Earth Solutions Ltd in 2021.

At least £1.5m of company assets were sold, with Aldridge Construction Engineering Ltd entering liquidation the following year.

Among the under-priced sales were two Daimlers from 1936 and 1965; Jaguars from 1969 and 1978; and three Rolls Royces from the 1970s.

Combined, the seven cars had a value of £101,500 but Singh sold them to Ace Earth Solutions Ltd for just £1.

Singh, of Harlaston, Tamworth, has been disqualified as a director for six years following Insolvency Service investigations.

Kevin Read, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: “Kulbarg Singh deliberately sold assets worth £1.5m for much less than they were worth, putting the money out of the reach of creditors.

“Directors who abuse their position will face serious consequences. Selling historic cars worth over £100,000 for just £1 shows the extent of Singh’s misconduct.

“Singh’s six-year disqualification sends a clear message that we will pursue those who breach their responsibilities as a director.”

Aldridge Construction Engineering Ltd was set up in November 2015. Singh said the company was involved in the resurfacing of roads and later installing gas pipes.

In April 2021, Singh sold company assets worth at least £1.5m for just more than £465,000 to Ace Earth Solutions Ltd, a company he was director of between February 2020 and April 2022.

The sale resulted in Aldridge Construction Engineering Ltd losing more than £1m, leaving it insolvent.

By the time the company went into liquidation in June 2022, it had no assets and total liabilities to HM Revenue and Customs and other companies of more than £1.5 million.

The Official Receiver, as liquidator of Aldridge Construction Engineering Ltd, is currently exploring options to pursue recovery action to return money to creditors who lost out as a result of the sales.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from Singh, and his ban started last month.

It prevents him from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

Latest news

Civils boss banned over classic car sales

Director sold assets cheaply to sister company before folding
10 minutes ago

Avant Homes takes £107m fire safety hit as losses mount

Builder led by Jeff Fairburn lifts provision by £39m for legacy cladding repairs
6 hours ago

Profit recovery continues at Laing O’Rourke

CEO Cathal O’Rourke vows to "push the boundaries of what’s possible, in service of humanity"
1 day ago

Torsion clears Gateway 2 for Leeds student scheme

Firm to share lessons from the Gateway 2 process on Kirkstall Road 10-storey job
6 hours ago

Bouygues chosen to build new children’s hospital

Construction to start within next 18 months on Cambridge site
7 hours ago

Clegg wins £80m Leeds office scheme

Eight-storey office project to rise on former Wellington Plaza site
6 hours ago

Firms readied for £145m Welsh bridge race

Bidding to start this month for River Dee bridge replacement job
1 day ago

Cladding training boost to accelerate remediation work

Free courses for installers and supervisors to help accelerate post-Grenfell work
7 hours ago

JRL replaces Ardmore on £150m City landmark revamp

Malaysian developer IJM calls in part-owned contractor for 25 Finsbury Circus job
1 day ago

Green light for Bristol Brabazon over-station office block

YTL to start eight-storey HQ building above new train station ticket office
1 day ago

£200m funding deal for hydrogen from waste plant

Tilbury site will be first stage of national network for green fuel
1 day ago

Go-ahead for London major hospital-to-resi scheme

Developer TT Group to deliver 140 homes and 65-bed care home on historic site
1 day ago

Civil specialist M Lambe slips into the red

Firm predicts bounce back this year as social housing recovers
1 day ago

Pickstock plans to revamp derelict Birmingham site

Developer looks to transform Soho Hill in the city
1 day ago

Retentions could be banned in late payment crackdown

Government considers abolition of hated system in construction
5 days ago

Heathrow Airport unveils £49bn ‘superhub’ expansion

Airport operator says it is ready to start design and supply chain activity this year
4 days ago

National Grid names contractors for £8bn of substation work

Regional deals will give firms first refusal on work in their area
4 days ago

Keltbray names Ferrovial’s Karl Goose as new CEO

New boss to take over in December as Vince Corrigan retires
4 days ago

Green light for first 880 homes at Manchester Mayfield

Four blocks rising to 28 storeys set to cost around £250m to build
4 days ago

Fit-out trade body hits back at bloated contracts

Dry walling and interiors body backs 500-word contract in fight against legal traps
4 days ago

Arora and Bechtel pitch rival Heathrow expansion plan

New Terminal 6 and runway said to be faster, greener and cheaper option
5 days ago

Major delays hit £4.8bn Levelling Up project programme

Whitehall admits most projects still stuck in design or planning phase
5 days ago

London new home starts slump 59% as safety regime bites

National rise masks capital’s fall amid BSR delays and social housing slowdown
5 days ago

Maidstone seeks builder for £50m flats project

10-storey tower part of council’s Springfield Library redevelopment plans
5 days ago

Former Lambeth council office to become Premier Inn

Developer Whitbread looking for contractor for latest conversion project
5 days ago

Construction to start on UK’s first floating padel courts

Liverpool Waters gets green light for unique leisure complex
5 days ago

Bombshell cavity barrier defects wipe out Taylor Wimpey profits

Fresh £222m provision for fire safety failings behind brick facades
6 days ago

39 firms win £3bn South East schools framework

LCP panel covers new build, retrofit and fire safety upgrade work
7 days ago

Esh boss bullish as profits and prospects rise

North of England contractor looking forward to continued growth
7 days ago

Government sets up Platform4 to build 40,000 homes on rail land

Former Lendlease Development chief Bek Seeley to head Platform4
6 days ago