A businessman has been disqualified from setting up or managing a company for 15 years.

Criminal action could also be taken against Kevin Morris, 61, who has been rapped for his role in a company that was shut down by the Insolvency Service in 2018.

Morris, from Stanmore, was found to have breached a disqualification order when he became a de facto director of Rigil Kent Acquisitions Limited (RKAL).

The Insolvency Service described RKAL, which was established in 2015, as "dishonest" after presenting itself as a turnaround or recovery service, that promised companies in financial difficulties it would enable them to wipe their business debts and avoid formal insolvency proceedings, for a fee of between £5,000 and 10 per cent of the failing company’s total liabilities.

Morris is said to have assured directors they could walk away from any further financial or legal responsibility in the company, which the Insolvency Service said was not true. Morris, who also goes by the name of Kevin Gordon Sykes, benefited financially from RKAL’s activities while no money was returned to creditors including those of the companies RKAL acquired.

According to documents filed at Companies House, the sole director of RKAL was 40-year-old Nataliia Fox of Bushey, who was in a relationship with Morris at that time. She was under his direction and generally working on his instructions.

Following an investigation by the Insolvency Service, the High Court of Justice gave Morris a 15 year disqualification that prevents him from directly or indirectly becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company without the permission of the court. Judge Schafer also ordered the director of public prosecutions to consider criminal prosecution against Morris.

Fox received a disqualification of 11 years with both orders beginning on February 2 2022.

Jo Caswell, deputy official receiver said: "Kevin Morris claimed to be an unlicensed insolvency practitioner, a role that does not exist. As the court has found, he created a nefarious scheme for the purpose of subverting the insolvency system for his own financial gain, and he flagrantly breached his previous disqualification in doing so.

"The Insolvency Service will not hesitate to act in protecting the public from commercially immoral business practices, winding up those corporate vehicles utilised and taking action against their directors.

"Kevin Morris now faces a further maximum period of disqualification and may also face criminal sanction for his actions."