A COMPANY director from Bury has been disqualified after more than £168,000 owed to the taxman was left unpaid at liquidation.

David Andrew Franks, of Manchester Road, failed to ensure Influential Products Limited submitted all payments to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to the detriment of the government agency from January 2019 until liquidation in November 2020, The Insolvency Service has reported.

According to records, pay-as-you-earn (PAYE)/National Insurance returns show a balance of £35,922 was due to HMRC for months six to 12 in the financial year ending 2018/2019.

The following financial year, PAYE returns showed a balance of £87,992 was due to HMRC.

Similar returns also revealed a balance of £25,710 was due to HMRC for months one to seven in the financial year ending 2020/2021.

The last payment made to HMRC in respect of PAYE was made on April 11, 2019, The Insolvency Service said.

Influential carried on trading until November 2020 before going into liquidation, at which point at least £149,626 was owed to HMRC.

A corporation tax return was submitted for the financial year ending January 31, 2018, showing £131,007 worth of the tax was due and a payment of £112,617 was made for that period. At liquidation at least £18,389 remained outstanding and due to HMRC.

Therefore, at least £168,015 was owed by the firm to the taxman.

Mr Franks, 52, failed to ensure Influential submitted a corporation tax return to HMRC for the financial year ending January 31, 2019, it was reported.

From January 2019 until liquidation, Influential generated a turnover of £927,808, of which £84,788 was paid to HMRC, the last payment being made on April 11, 2019.

Meanwhile, £234,075 was paid to directors or former directors and £608,945 was paid to other classes of creditor.

Mr Franks has been disqualified from being a company director for four years.