Upton Accountants - more info

[cojak]

So shall we start a Freedom Accountancy thread to post issues post Upton-gate? Personally I am moving accountants but would like them to prepare accounts for the current year since I already paid them for that.

I checked companies house and they are still in business...

No.

And I shall take a dim view of it if it is just to 'keep tabs' rather than any specific request for information.

I hope I've made myself clear.

[ZARDOZ]

Yorkshire Mags

"Would you trust this man with your money? We bloody did! It was back in September 2000 that Mr Upton first became involved with the Yorkshire Mags. It just so happened that the first meeting that he attended (at the THT) was that year's AGM, and it just so happened that we were looking for a new Treasurer, the previous incumbent (Tom) having resigned. I actually remember the meeting quite well. I turned up for it half resigned to having volunteer to be Treasurer, but not wanting to take on the role due to already spending loads of time doing the web site. I was therefore over the moon when new boy Darren put himself forward. And not only did he want the job, but he was an accountant! We couldn't get him appointed quickly enough. He was proposed, and seconded, and there being no other volunteers, he was as good as in. But then a lone voice (Paul Dodd, who happened to audit the accounts back in those days, if I remember right) piped up. He pointed out, quite correctly of course, that we didn't know anything about Darren, and as such should we really be so ready to trust him with our money? To be honest, I was embarrassed for Darren, who seemed a perfectly decent lad. Let's face it, who in their right mind would want to take over as Yorkshire Mags Treasurer for whatever they might be able to siphon off? Hmmm. Anyway, a lively discussion ensued, and the upshot of it was that Darren didn't get the job. I'm not sure who took it on instead, but it's possible that Tom was talked into keeping possession of the little black box for another year. Incidentally, amongst the other new Yorkshire Mags at the AGM were Maggie, Si, Pidge, and the one and only Aaaarrrrooonnaaaaa.

A year later, and Darren tried again. This time he was deemed to be trustworthy enough, and he was in. He held the role for four years, after which time he decided to stand down due to business commitments, and Maggie took over. As far as I recall Darren did a decent enough job for most of that period. Not only that, his company paid for the web site for a few years. Mind, with what we know now, perhaps it was his clients who really paid for it. Anyway, it was after Darren disappeared off the scene that we started to have problems. When we subsequently tried to pay money into the club account we were told by the bank that it had been closed. Darren's explanation was that the bank had closed the account due to there being no money in it. Now, apart from the question of why there should be no money in the account, banks simply don't close accounts like that. Ok, they might declare the account as 'dormant' if there's been no activity for a few years, but that's another matter. Two years later we were still trying to get a satisfactory explanation out of Darren. On top of this, he wouldn't supply any documentation (bank statements, accounts for his last year, etc). Round Boy and Ian Maxted had even tried banging on his door, but without success. I'm not sure how this situation eventually resolved itself, if it ever did. Despite the problems we had with Darren, I've got to say though that I was gobsmacked when I found out what he's been getting up to over the years! He certainly had me fooled.
"

[Ex Upton Staff]

Tina Upton

Mod Note:

OK.

Had this anything to do with accountancy I may or may not have allowed it through.

But it isn't.

It is a person (who was not arrested or convicted for anything) trying to get on with their lives by starting a new (non-accountancy) business.

This site does not go in for witch-hunts.

And the next person to try it will receive an instant ban.

[Bagpuss]

This new business although not related to accountancy is related to parts of the case, i.e. what the stolen money was spent on. Coincidence? possibly. It's certainly worthy of comment. I'll leave it to the readers googling skills to work out the rest it's all in the public domain.

[Bugbait]

Sorry to necro this thread but what have others who were impacted by Darren Upton's theft done with relation to HMRC? I sent HMRC a bunch of documentation for review but they seem to have ignored it and have resumed chasing me for "missing money". Feel free to PM instead if you wish to keep it private.