Category: Gov Press Releases

In 2016, Alan Yeomans, then of Shedley Manor, Yeavley, was sentenced to 6 and a half years imprisonment for offences including money laundering, bankruptcy offences, and cultivation of cannabis.

At the sentencing hearing at Derby Crown Court, HHJ Shant QC described Mr Yeomans as a liar who had become involved in drug dealing.

Mr Yeomans then faced confiscation proceedings at Derby Crown Court, brought by the Insolvency Service.
On 17 May 2018, HHJ Bennett made a confiscation order against Mr Yeomans, which deprives him of £650,000, being the proceeds of his crimes. If Mr Yeomans fails to pay his confiscation order he faces a further prison sentence of 66 months.

The court recognised that Yeomans, aged 63, had obtained £1 million benefit from his various criminal activities. The assets held by Mr Yeomans included his home, Shedley Manor, as well as Rolex watches and valuable works of art and antiques.

Shedley Manor is a property built by Mr Yeomans and concealed in a barn in the Derbyshire countryside.

Alan Yeomans’ prison sentence followed his conviction in 2016, on charges of failing to disclose to the Official Receiver that he owned antiques and oil paintings worth £83,250, acting in the management of three Derbyshire companies, Shearstud Limited, Easy Tools Limited and B Clarke Limited and money laundering.

At his trial, he pleaded guilty to these offences plus being involved in the production of cannabis and possession of illegal CS gas canisters which were found during the search.

Mr Yeomans continues to serve his prison sentence and will now lose his home and much of his property seized from “Shedley Manor” during the investigation.

Glenn Wicks, the officer in charge of the investigation, commented:

He has been made bankrupt twice and the second bankruptcy was extended by the Official Receiver.

The Insolvency Service has made this man pay for his crimes. He is serving a prison sentence and we have now taken action to ensure that he has not profited from his crimes.

Notes to editors

Alan Yeomans is a two-time bankrupt, having been made bankrupt in 1993 and 2009.His date of birth is November 1954.

Following an Insolvency Service investigation, Mr Yeomans signed a Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking (BRU) in 2010, for six years.

In 2016, Mr Yeomans received a lengthy prison sentence for a number of crimes ranging from fraud in companies to being involved in the illegal growth of cannabis.

Alan Yeomans, then of Shedley Manor, Yeavely, Derbyshire was charged with failing to disclose to the Official Receiver that he owned antiques and oil paintings worth £83,250, acting in the management of three Derbyshire companies, Shearstud Limited, Easy Tools Limited and B Clarke Limited and money laundering. He pleaded guilty to these offences plus being involved in the production of cannabis and possession of illegal CS gas canisters which were found during the search.

The Insolvency Service, an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), administers the insolvency regime, and aims to deliver and promote a range of investigation and enforcement activities both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets. We do this by effectively enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes, maintaining public confidence in those regimes and reducing the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity and to the business community, including dealing with the disqualification of directors in corporate failures.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

Further information about the work of the Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions team is available

BEIS’ mission is to build a dynamic and competitive UK economy that works for all, in particular by creating the conditions for business success and promoting an open global economy. The Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions team contributes to this aim by taking action to deter fraud and to regulate the market. They investigate and prosecute a range of offences, primarily relating to personal or company insolvencies.

Contact Press Office

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 7674 6910 or 020 7596 6187

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

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Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will begin a five-day tour of Latin America today (19 May) which will see him travel to Peru, Argentina and Chile.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

This will be my first visit to the region since becoming Foreign Secretary. Latin America is a vibrant and dynamic part of the world that works closely with the UK on a number of issues including trade, security, science, infrastructure and education, among others.

I am looking forward to strengthening the UK’s relationship with countries in the region, as well as representing the UK at the G20 Foreign Minister’s meeting for important talks on climate change, the illegal wildlife trade and how to ensure girls across the world receive twelve years of quality education.

Starting in Peru’s capital Lima, Mr. Johnson, the first Foreign Secretary to visit Peru in over 50 years, will join President Vizcarra on a trip to the Amazon.

The joint visit will include seeing first-hand the work of an animal rescue centre to tackle the illegal wildlife trade and time at a remote Amazonian Community Centre to launch a UK-funded solar project providing electricity and potable water for the school.

After visiting Peru the Foreign Secretary will travel to Argentina for talks with President Macri and Foreign Minister Faurie. In Buenos Aires Mr Johnson will also represent the UK at the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting to discuss a range of global issues with his counterparts.

Foreign Secretary Johnson will finish his five-day tour of Latin America in Chile, where he will meet President Pinera, Foreign Minister Ampuero and visit a British Council funded pilot project which aims to advance digital literacy and coding skills particularly among female students in Chile, Colombia and Peru.

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @BorisJohnson and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

Prime Minister Theresa May spoke this afternoon with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ahead of the G7 summit next month.

The Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Trudeau for his support at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in April in London. They reflected on the positive work done at the summit and both agreed they were looking forward to continuing this momentum at the G7.

Prime Minister Trudeau welcomed the significant commitment made at the summit by the UK to girls’ education in developing countries. He noted this would be a key area for Canada at the G7, to which the Prime Minister offered her support.

The leaders had a broad discussion about the upcoming G7, including the importance of the G7’s rapid respond mechanism to hostile state activity. They reflected on the common ground their countries shared on security matters.

They agreed that coordination between members states would be key across the G7, with Prime Minister Trudeau reiterating his ongoing support to work begun by the UK at CHOGM on ocean plastics.

The Minister for the Cabinet Office David Lidington MP visited Madrid today, where he met the Spanish Foreign Secretary Alfonso Dastis to talk about the deep bilateral relationship between the UK and Spain and to reiterate the UK’s commitment to forge even greater ties after the UK leaves the European Union.

The Ministers discussed the practical implications of the UK’s departure, including for Gibraltar where the priority remains to provide certainty to the thousands of people and businesses affected. Mr Lidington reiterated that the UK is confident that by engaging in regular conversations with the Government of Gibraltar and our EU partners – including Spain – we will find a way forward that benefits everyone living and working in the region.

The discussion also covered current foreign policy issues including Russia, the Iran nuclear deal, and the situation in Venezuela. The two Ministers recognised that the people of Spain and the UK have close ties, and that the two nations are major partners in trade. Mr Lidington underlined that the British Government is committed to maintaining existing levels of close cooperation in the future and said that we will also continue to work together to keep our citizens safe.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, David Lidington said:

Today I had a constructive meeting with Spanish Foreign Secretary Alfonso Dastis. The UK and Spain are friends and allies with a long history together, and we are looking forward to tightening those bonds even further.

We have made significant progress in our negotiations to leave the EU so far, and we are confident that we can find a way forward together that is to the benefit and shared prosperity of both ourselves and the European Union.

We want to be ambitious about the future relationship with the EU we are seeking, in both our economic and security partnerships. I am convinced that with our shared goodwill, creativity and focus, we will overcome the challenges ahead.

The United Kingdom and Spain are close partners in NATO and United Nations, among numerous international organisations, and the commercial relationship between both countries rose to 43 billion pounds in 2016. Nearly 19 million British tourists visited Spain in 2017 and around 300,000 British people are residents, while almost 200,000 Spanish people live in the UK.

The Queen has been graciously pleased to signify Her intention of conferring the following Peerages of the United Kingdom for Life:

Nominations from the Leader of the Conservative Party

1. Diana Barran MBE – founder and lately chief executive of SafeLives
2. The Rt. Hon. Sir Edward Garnier QC – lately Member of Parliament for Harborough and former Solicitor General
3. The Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Haselhurst – lately Member of Parliament for Saffron Walden and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons
4. The Rt. Hon. Peter Lilley – lately Member of Parliament for Hitchin and Harpenden and former Secretary of State for Social Security
5. Catherine Meyer CBE – founder and lately chief executive of Action Against Abduction
6. The Rt. Hon. Sir Eric Pickles – lately Member of Parliament for Brentwood and Ongar and former Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
7. The Rt. Hon. Sir John Randall – former Member of Parliament for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Treasurer of HM Household and Deputy Chief Whip. Vice-Chairman of the Human Trafficking Foundation and Special Adviser to the Prime Minister
8. Amanda Sater, JP – lately Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party. Chairman of StreetGames and of The Queen’s Club Foundation
9. The Rt. Hon. Andrew Tyrie – lately Member of Parliament for Chichester and former Chairman of the Treasury Select Committee

Nominations from the Leader of the Labour Party

1. Martha Osamor – campaigner on immigration, employment rights and racial discrimination
2. Pauline Bryan – author and campaigner
3. Iain McNicol – lately General Secretary of the Labour Party

Nomination from the Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party

1. Dr. William McCrea – lately Member of Parliament for South Antrim

Privy Council Appointments

The Queen has been pleased to approve that Baroness Chakrabarti be sworn of Her Majesty’s most Honourable Privy Council.

Knighthoods

The Queen has been pleased to approve that the honour of Knighthood be conferred upon The Rt. Hon. David Evennett MP.

Following an investigation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), two million doses of potent drugs were seized, the Agency’s largest ever seizure at the time.

Both Gaffar and Patel pleaded guilty to multiple counts of conspiracy to sell potent anxiety pills, cancer drugs and powerful painkillers such as tramadol. London-based Patel was assisted by Gaffar who made regular trips from Leicester to transport unlicensed medicines and help Patel with his illegal business.

During a 2015 operation, an undercover operative instructed by MHRA, met with Gaffar, who claimed he had ‘a present from India’ and as he passed over the parcel of unlicensed medicines, exclaimed “with me you get better stuff”.

Gaffar and Patel received 21 months and 3 years immediate custody respectively.

Alastair Jeffrey, MHRA Head of Enforcement said:

Medicines purchased outside the regulated supply chain can be dangerous, and there is no assurance of quality and standards. There can be devastating consequences to your health.

We are cracking down on perpetrators to make sure this type of crime does not pay.
MHRA is currently running the #FakeMeds campaign to warn people against buying potentially dangerous or useless unlicensed medicines sold by illegal online suppliers.

Visit http://www.gov.uk/fakemeds for tips on buying medicines safely online and how to avoid unscrupulous sites.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will deliver a keynote speech at a conference of an international partnership to fight against impunity for the use of chemical weapons in Paris today (May 18), hosted by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. The conference will bring together 33 like-minded countries, who are determined to preserve and strengthen the global ban on chemical weapons, including through strengthening the role of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Ahead of the meeting, the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

We have to confront the reality that chemical weapons have been used numerous times in recent years, in defiance of the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention. Asad’s brutality in Syria, and the attempted murders in Salisbury pose a grave threat to the Chemical Weapons Convention and to the rules based order that keeps us all safe.

We join our partners today in calling for a special session of Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention in June to agree action to support the Convention and its implementing body, the OPCW. Together, we will ensure that the global ban on chemical weapons and their use is upheld and enforced.

A Special Conference of the Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention in June would consider the very serious compliance challenges the convention currently faces. This Conference will send a clear signal of the global commitment to uphold the ban on the use of chemical weapons and consider what more can be done to strengthen the norm against chemical weapons use. It will also be an opportunity to look at ways of strengthening the OPCW.

Notes for Editors:

• To hold a Conference of States Parties requires the support of at least 64 States Parties

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @BorisJohnson and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

People with diabetes are advised to stop using and return specific lots of Accu-Chek Aviva and Accu-Chek Performa test strips following a recent recall by the manufacturer.

Accu-Chek Inform II test strips have also been recalled but are supplied in the UK by Roche for professional use only.

The test strips, commonly used by diabetics for blood glucose testing, may give increased strip error messages prior to dosing with blood and in some cases may give falsely high or low readings which may be hard to detect.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are urging users to check the lot numbers of their test strips against the lot numbers listed in the table below. More information can be found in this field safety notice. It is estimated that more than 260,000 packs have been affected.

If anyone finds they have test strips from the affected lots, they are advised to seek alternative testing methods and return affected lots to their pharmacy or shop where they will be offered a replacement.

It is also advised anyone with concerns about their blood glucose readings should discuss this with a healthcare professional.

Affected products

ACCU-CHEK AVIVA STRIPS (50s)

• 497392
• 497391
• 496915
• 496809
• 496802
• 496807

ACCU-CHEK AVIVA STRIPS (10s)

• 497344
• 497392

ACCU-CHEK PERFORMA STRIPS (10s)

• 476597
• 476646

Accu-Chek Inform II strips (professional use only)

• 476614

Accu-Chek Performa Nano mmol Kit

(Please note the FSN only applies to the pack of Performa 10 test strips contained within the kit)

• 10153116
• 10153114
• 10153115
• 10153112
• 10153111

John Wilkinson, MHRA’s Director of Medical Devices said:

It is important people check their test strips and if necessary seek alternatives as soon as possible.

If people have any questions about their blood glucose readings when using these test strips and meters they should speak with their doctor or pharmacist.

We continue to encourage people to report any issues involving medical devices to MHRA via our Yellow Card Scheme.

Dan Howarth, Head of Care at Diabetes UK said:

It is incredibly important that people living with diabetes are able to rely on the technology that is designed to help them manage their blood sugar, so we’d strongly recommend that anyone using these test strips check their batch numbers and get replacement strips accordingly.

Inaccurate readings could mean you over- or under-dose with insulin, which in the short term can cause problems with hyper and hypoglycaemia. If you’re worried about your readings, we’d recommend speaking to your GP or a pharmacist as soon as possible.