Former Northern 4x4 Centre boss Stewart Rogers has been handed an 11-year directorship ban after he defied a previous five-year order to run his Auto Testing Limited (ATL) business.

Incorporated in February 2007, ATL operated as a car mechanics, fuel station and convenience store and was operated by Janice Rogers (61) and Elizabeth Dagg (70), both from Northumberland.

However, an investigation carried out by The Insolvency Service after ATL entered voluntary liquidation in October 2016 found that there was also a third boss, Stewart Rogers.

The Service said that 72-year-old Rogers, of Morpeth, Northumberland, had been previously disqualified for five years in January 2011 in relation to his conduct as director of a separate company, Northern 4x4 Centre LTD, and should not have been managing the business.

A statement issued by the service said: “Investigators were able to gather evidence which showed that Stewart Rogers had been running ATL and Janice Rogers, Stewart’s current wife, and Elizabeth Dagg, his ex-wife, had been aware of his disqualification.”

On 17 October 2018, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from Stewart Rogers, after he admitted acting as director whilst disqualified, and imposed a new 11-year ban which is effective from November 7.

On the same day, the Secretary of State accepted disqualification undertakings from Janice Rogers (61) and Elizabeth Dagg (70), both of Morpeth, after both admitted allowing Stewart Rogers to act as director whilst disqualified. Both bans are effective from November 7 and last for five years.

Robert Clarke, chief investigator for the Insolvency Service, said: “Our investigation showed that Stewart Rogers was acting as a director of Auto Testing Limited in direct breach of the earlier disqualification undertaking he had given, and that Janice Rogers and Elizabeth Dagg had allowed him to do so.”

“The Insolvency Service will vigorously pursue directors who ignore disqualification restrictions against them, as well as those that allow such directors to act. The length of the undertakings in this case sends a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.”