On 27 March 2018 the County Court at Lincoln made a disqualification order banning Stewart Mark Groves from being a director of a limited company for 10 years.

Stewart Groves (37), of Bawtry, Doncaster, was the director of Rapid Finance Ltd. Incorporated in August 2013, the company was set-up to make investments on behalf of a single investor.

With an initial investment of half-a-million pounds, Stewart Groves managed the company under a shareholder and loan agreement.

However, the court ordered the company be wound up in September 2015 following petitions by the sole investor, which triggered further investigations by the Insolvency Service.

Investigators revealed that instead of making legitimate investments, Stewart Groves transferred a significant proportion of the money he was trusted to invest into his own accounts.

To cover his tracks, Stewart Groves twice supplied false reports to the investor, including falsified bank statements and accounts, so that they believed he was investing as agreed. These reports encouraged further investments of more than £300,000.

Over the course of two years, more than £800,000 was invested in the company and more than £700,000 of it was transferred to accounts belonging to him and connected parties, without the investor being made aware.

Effective from 17 April 2018, Stewart Groves is banned for 10 years from directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.

Gerard O’Hare, Chief Investigator for the Insolvency Service, said:

Stewart Groves intentionally misled the company’s sole investor into believing his funds were being invested securely and the false reports supplied even lead to more money being provided.

This behaviour will not be tolerated and this ban should serve as a warning to other directors tempted to act in a similar way that they have a duty to act in the best interests of the company – not themselves.

There has been a separate criminal investigation into Stewart Groves by South Yorkshire Police that found him guilty of fraud by misrepresentation and has led to an eight-and-a-half-year prison term.

Stewart Groves is of Bawtry, Doncaster, and his date of birth is May 1982.

Rapid Finance Limited (Company number 08632668).

The order was pronounced by Deputy District Judge Cooper in the County Court at Lincoln.

Alan Draycott appeared for the Insolvency Service and Mr Delaney the solicitor for the Defendant and the Defendant in person.

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

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings.

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

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

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

Courts disqualify Doncaster director for 10 years after he misappropriated sole client’s £800,000 worth of investments.

On Tuesday 14 May Typhoon jets launched a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) scramble out of Ämari Air Base in response to two Russian SU-27 Flanker fighter aircraft and one IL-22 aircraft that were flying along the Baltic coast heading towards Kaliningrad.

On Wednesday 15 May Typhoons once again launched from Ämari to intercept another two SU-27 aircraft and an IL-22 and escorted the formation towards Russia.

Minister for the Armed Forces Mark Lancaster said:

At the same time as our troops forge stronger ties with NATO Allies in Estonia, our RAF Typhoons are policing Baltic skies and providing a rapid response to any approaches towards NATO airspace.

Together it sends a clear message – we are committed to defending NATO’s borders and will support our Allies in deterring any threats.

These are the first QRA scrambles since the RAF took over the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission from the German Air Force last month. Both were conducted in a safe and professional manner throughout.

The RAF operates alongside its NATO allies to deter Russian aggression and assure NATO allies of the UK’s commitment to collective defence.

This is a routine NATO mission for the Typhoons which provides reassurance that the UK is here to work in partnership with Estonia.

Wing Commander Paul ‘Pablo’ O’Grady, who was conducting QRA duty when the first scramble was called, said:

On 14 May 19 my flight of QRA Typhoons were scrambled on a Baltic Air Policing Mission tasked to intercept and identify an unknown aircraft. Six minutes after take-off from Ämari Air Base, vectored by Estonian fighter controllers, we closed quickly on a Russian IL-22 which was being escorted by two Russian SU-27 fighters.

Flying alongside the Russian aircraft at a safe distance, myself and my wingman (a United States Airforce Lt Col), ensured that the Russian aircraft were safely escorted around Estonian airspace. The Russian pilots and crews behaved in a professional and calm manner with nothing untoward. We subsequently handed the Russian formation over to the Hungarian QRA that had launched out of Lithuania to continue the escort towards Kaliningrad.

This was the first Baltic Air Policing Mission of the Typhoon Detachment providing assurance of our capability and demonstrating the UK’s commitment to our NATO Allies.

Mr Nigel Dakin has been appointed Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

For social housing providers who are considering registration with RSH and for organisations advising potential applicants.