Disqualified Oxford director ordered to pay back more than £100,000 or face jail
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-14)

Christopher Cook, from South Leigh, was previously convicted of acting as a director while disqualified.

- The 66-year-old was still serving a director’s ban when he continued to run Cupio Vehicle Management Ltd from 2016 to 2018.
- During that time, Cook took £109,944 in wages and personal transfers from the company.
- In December 2024 he was ordered to repay the money, having been convicted of being a director whilst disqualified.
A transport company director from Oxford, who was disqualified from running businesses a decade ago, was running another company while banned and took more than £100,000 in wages and personal transfers from the business.

Following an Insolvency Service investigation, Christopher Cook of Church Lane in South Leigh has been ordered to repay the money or face a 12-month prison sentence.

Cook, aged 66, was disqualified as a director of vehicle delivery company, Park Hall South East Ltd, in 2015 for non-payment of tax, but he ran another company, Cupio Vehicle Management Ltd, while banned.

He was found to have taken more than £100,000 in wages and transfers to his person account during this time, which he has now been ordered to repay or face a 12-month prison sentence.

Alexander Grierson, Head of Asset Recovery at the Insolvency Service said:

This case serves as a warning to others that no matter how much time passes, justice will catch up with those who continue to run companies while they are banned.

Christopher Cook clearly thought little of his disqualification and continued to operate as normal.

We have worked hard to identify what assets he has. This has been a lengthy process but now ensures the money he owes can be recovered.

Cook was the director of Park Hall South East Ltd until his disqualification in 2015.

From June 2013 he was also the sole director of Cupio Vehicle Management Ltd, from which he resigned following his disqualification and claimed to have taken the role of company secretary.

Cook’s co-defendant, 62-year-old Richard Hawkins of Fritillary Mews, Ducklington supposedly replaced him as director in 2016. However, it was found that Cook had continued as director of the company, in breach of the ban.

In March 2024, after Cook pleaded guilty to being a director whilst disqualified, he was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court to an 18-month Community Order and 150 hours of unpaid work.

In December 2024, a confiscation hearing was held at Oxford Crown Court where Cook was ordered to repay £109,944 he took from Cupio Vehicle Management Ltd.

Failure to repay the full amount will result in a 12-month prison term.

Richard Hawkins pleaded guilty of Aiding and Abetting Cook to commit the offence of acting as a director and was handed a £1,000 fine and ordered to repay costs of £250.

Further information
- Christopher Cook is of Church Lane in South Leigh. His date of birth is 25 March 1958.
- Cupio Vehicle Management Limited Companies House: xx-xxxx-xxxx. The company was dissolved in August 2023.
- Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct. (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/insolvency-service)