Two Directors Banned for Misappropriating £13.9 Million

Scott Dylan and David Antrobus have received bans totalling 23 years after they illegally managed over £13.9 million through company accounts with unauthorised overdrafts. Dylan, who personally benefited by £1.675 million, and Antrobus were sentenced for breaching court orders following freezing injunctions from Barclays Bank.

Details of the Case

Both former associates, aged 41 and 39 respectively, opened bank accounts for their companies in the spring of 2021. Their financial operations involved transferring substantial sums before Barclays intervened by freezing the accounts.

During a High Court hearing, the judge described Dylan as the “driving force” behind the scheme. As a result, Dylan was disqualified from serving as a company director for 13 years, while Antrobus was banned for a decade. Their disqualifications are set to begin on Christmas Day, prohibiting them from managing or forming companies without court approval.

Implications and Penalties

Victoria Edgar, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, outlined the severity of their misconduct, noting that the pair exploited the banking system and left behind insolvencies exceeding £52 million. They have been accused of actions that amounted to a scam, with no legitimate justification for the fund transfers.

Operations and Mismanagement

Investigations revealed that the duo facilitated over £13.9 million in transfers to Oldcoft Ltd’s account, originating from ten connected companies. During that period, significant payments were also made from this account that allegedly included more than £1.5 million to other related firms.

In a particularly dubious transaction, nearly €1.8 million was sent to a family member under the pretext of purchasing a hotel in Turkey, a claim that was later undermined by the investigation.

Consequences of Their Actions

The damning actions of Dylan and Antrobus resulted in Barclays securing freezing orders by the end of September 2021, which demanded explanation for the suspicious transactions. However, the pair breached these orders by transferring their companies to the British Virgin Islands. They both received sentences of 22 months for contempt of court, further underscored by the fact that Dylan was unlawfully acting as a company director despite prior disqualifications.

Following their actions, a set of companies linked to them fell into provisional liquidation, with significant debts owed to Barclays and other creditors, signalling a grave instance of malpractice in corporate governance.

Background

Dylan’s prior history of financial misconduct included giving an undertaking to the court that he would not act as a director while disqualification proceedings were ongoing. Following investigations into his dealings with SDRW Limited, he received an additional disqualification of eight years for previous bankrupt actions, further emphasizing the pattern of irresponsible financial conduct.

Antrobus also faced his own challenges, including bankruptcy declared in August 2025, exacerbated by a failure to maintain proper accounting records for Oldcoft Ltd.

Source: official statements, news agencies, and public reports.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/business-partners-who-exploited-banking-system-by-channelling-139-million-in-unauthorised-overdrafts-through-companies-banned-for-combined-23-years