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Consequences of contravention

Offences

18.  If a person acts in contravention of a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking, or in contravention of Article 15, 16(2) or 17, he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable—

(a)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for not more than 2 years or a fine, or both; and

(b)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for not more than 6 months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or both.

Personal liability for company’s debts where person acts while disqualified

19.—(1) A person is personally responsible for all the relevant debts of a company if at any time—

(a)in contravention of a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking or in contravention of Article 15 or 17 he is involved in the management of the company, or

(b)as a person who is involved in the management of the company, he acts or is willing to act on instructions given without the leave of the High Court by a person whom he knows at that time to be—

(i)the subject of a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking,

(ii)the subject of a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 (c. 46), or

(iii)an undischarged bankrupt.

(2) Where a person is personally responsible under this Article for the relevant debts of a company, he is jointly and severally liable in respect of those debts with the company and any other person who, whether under this Article or otherwise, is so liable.

(3) For the purposes of this Article the relevant debts of a company are—

(a)in relation to a person who is personally responsible under paragraph (1)(a), such debts and other liabilities of the company as are incurred at a time when that person was involved in the management of the company, and

(b)in relation to a person who is personally responsible under paragraph (1)(b), such debts and other liabilities of the company as are incurred at a time when that person was acting or was willing to act on instructions given as mentioned in that paragraph.

(4) For the purposes of this Article, a person is involved in the management of a company if he is a director of the company or if he is concerned, whether directly or indirectly, or takes part, in the management of the company.

(5) For the purposes of this Article a person who, as a person involved in the management of a company, has at any time acted on instructions given without the leave of the High Court by a person whom he knew at that time to be—

(a)the subject of a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking, or

(b)the subject of a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 (c. 46), or

(c)an undischarged bankrupt,

is presumed, unless the contrary is shown, to have been willing at any time thereafter to act on any instructions given that person.