Cumbria County Council’s Trading Standards Officers led a prosecution that saw three men from Merseyside sentenced today for their part in a telephone leasing scam.
The directors of Independent Telephony Ltd, Mark James Rankin, 32, and Anthony Lavender, 33, and their employee Ian Anthony Bradley, 28, were all disqualified from holding directorships for a period of five years.
Rankin and Lavender were ordered to complete 200 hours community service each and Bradley 140 hours. All three were ordered to pay £750 towards prosecution costs.
Throughout 2003, Rankin and Lavender contacted small businesses offering a telephone system, typically on a seven-year lease. They promised that Independent Telephony would pay off outstanding balances on existing telephone leases held by the businesses but subsequently failed to do so. This resulted in businesses paying for two telephone systems over many years, costing thousands of pounds.
A total of fifteen organisations were duped by representatives of Independent Telephony, including convents, charities, primary schools, a cricket club and small businesses in an area stretching from Northampton to Cumbria.
John Malone, Trading Standards Manager for Wirral Borough Council, led the investigation. He said:
"This has been a difficult investigation into a cynical operation which targeted small businesses and religious organisations. Whilst the original investigation started in Wirral it became apparent that these offences occurred throughout the country. We agreed with Cumbria Trading Standards that they would lead the prosecution and I would like to congratulate them on bringing this case to a satisfactory solution".
Phil Ashcroft, Head of Cumbria County Council Trading Standards commented:
"Many small businesses and charities have been stung and left thousands of pounds out of pocket. I would like to thank my Trading Standards colleagues from around the North West for their help in gathering the evidence."
Independent Telephony Ltd (38 September Road, Liverpool L6 4DQ) has been struck off the register of limited companies at Companies House.