Skiing Europe/Chris Reynard - Children's ski holiday left in ruins.

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Monium, Yes very interesting http://www.amersports.com/ He is certainly playing with the big boys and be very interested to kow what he is into them for?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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Does anybody have any news on the Exeter County Court hearing on 7 December 2011?

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i tried http://www.courtserve.net/courtlists/current/crown/indexdailies.htm but got a list of only today's hearings in Exeter County Court - didn't see an historical one. I did note however that today's sittings are being heard by His Honour Judge V E Salomonsen.

Now that would be a good name for the judge of hearings about a skiing scandal Little Angel

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hi, I see on Duedil.com that skiing europe Ltd has a "winding up order" against the business. http://www.companyrescue.co.uk/company-rescue/guides/what-is-a-winding-up-petition helps explains what that order is.

Also registered and active is Westward Holidays Ltd - Company No: 07388132 - same address - same Director. [/img]

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I've heard from AITO

There were two hearings scheduled for 7 December and I understand that Reynard was able to get them both adjourned until 12thJanuary. So we wait until then

Remember Chris Reynard was trading as himself not as a Ltd

After all it is free

What news? Seems to be all promises, promises and delay, delay. We have (mostly) all just about forgotten about this waster.

OK, Reading School still seems to be on the case at least: http://readingschoolskitrip.blogspot.com/2011/02/reading-school-cancelled-skip-trip-2011.html
A couple of folks at least pursuing the school now for the money back, presumably having been told to wait and see.
What do we pay our taxes for if it is not to investigate injustice and actually do something. Either charge the guy or clear him. I am not out of pocket, but not forgotten either.

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Rebailed - what an odd term http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Man-bailed-skiing-trip-fraud-probe/story-14994223-detail/story.html
mid-July 2012 on old ski man in court before Olympics, there must be a gag in there somewhere. Cool

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Thanks for the update noskitrip,

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It's been about a year now since this kicked off. Why would somebody be 'rebailed' - who's not ready?

I have had a brief dig around on this.

Skiing Europe Limited is in Liquidation. The Official Receiver (OR) in Exeter is dealing with the matter. The OR is effectively a civil servant liquidator. Anyone owed money by Ski Europe Limited should write to the OR and lodge their claim. The OR MAY call a meeting of creditors to appoint a private firm of Insolvency practitioners to take the case forward. This is only likely to happen if there is the reasonable likelihood of funds being realised by the liquidator (as a private Liquidator only gets paid from realised company assets). Or if creditors were to raise a fighting fund to cover the costs.

If anyone has spoken to the OR it would be interesting to know what he has discovered to date.

I haven't read the entire thread but it does not seem clear whether the trading was done through Skiing Europe Limited or by Reynard trading as Skiing Europe. If the latter is the case then in order to get a complete picture of what's happened, Mr Reynard will need to be made Bankrupt and I cannot find trace of a Bankruptcy hearing for Mr Reynard yet.

You know it makes sense.

In related news has anyone commenced any legal action against AITO and it's financial "guarantee" which was offerred before the Reynard affair collapsed everything? If I was an affected parent I think I chuck in a small claim against the school, Reynard, AM Trust and AITO and see which one stuck.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Not sure if has been mentioned but a Chris Reynard has registered a new company Ski Link Ltd happens to have a very similar address and the same date of birth as Christopher Reynard!

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kevinrhead, oh dear, ive not seen that on here.

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Would that be Ski Link Limited home of disqualified director and alleged fraudster Chris Reynard? (how often doe it have to be mentioned to improve Page Ranking?)

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Unbelievable! I can't believe the brass neck of the man. Glad some people continue to dig into this.

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noskitrip, thanks for the link. That site is an amazing resource!

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I've just received an email from Devon & Cornwall Police Economic Crime Unit stating that Reynard is not going to be pursued by them in relation to fraud charges ;

Further to our correspondence about Chris Reynard, I wanted to update you as to the outcome of our investigation into the collapse of Skiing Europe. After arresting and interviewing Reynard, detailed investigation and examination of seized material and interviewing numerous interested parties, we have reached the view that there is insufficient evidence of criminality to move the case to a successful prosecution. The final decision was taken by our Detective Inspector. Reynard has undoubtedly conducted his business in a reprehensible way but there is also much evidence that would undermine any attempt to prosecute him as a criminal. The case remains essentially civil in nature.

The on-going police investigation has frustrated attempts to secure civil redress. The civil Judge at Exeter County Court is fully aware of the police investigation and we hope that Reynard will soon be made bankrupt and/or subject of further judgements once the criminal block is lifted.

The police decision is unlikely to have much bearing on the likelihood of victims of the collapse securing proper compensation. Assuming that the insurance position remains unchanged and that Reynard is made bankrupt, ultimate recovery for creditors will be dictated by available assets (as it would with criminal compensation); we predict that assets will be minimal after secured creditors i.e. mortgage & bank recover their money.

The value of Reynard’s house & golf course remained important to the case in terms of his decision making and liabilities as a sole trader, but it now appears the asset may be of considerably less value than Reynard and others have assumed.

This decision is disappointing in many respects, but we cannot commit further resources to a case in which it is reasonably foreseeable that the accused might ultimately not be charged or be acquitted.

I would like to thank you very much for your time and support for the case and wish you well with your future activities.

Sad

After all it is free

Yes they would if the police took it to the CPS. But the police have to take it to the CPS first, and they'll normally only do that if they think it has a reasonable chance. They won't take it to the CPS if they think the CPS will drop it straight away. AIUI anyway.

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bobmcstuff, you understand correctly - I cross-posted with you as I was looking up the Fraud Act.
I expect the main issue was the need to prove that Reynard was dishonest in the criminal sense.

Link here if anyone's interested - http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/d_to_g/fraud_act/#a21

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Is it worthwhile adding the name of his new company into the thread title re. Google searches?

Would hate it if he did this all over again.

You know it makes sense.

Not sure there's any need Wink

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ski+link+ltd

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

bobmcstuff, agw, thanks. Must admit my knowledge is only from watching too much crime TV.

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AIUI fraud prosecutions are quite difficult as they require proving intent and it is quite conceivable someone who is experienced in dancing on the edge is also equally adept at maintaining no incriminating paper trail and in presenting themselves as an honest trader caught out by circumstances. No proof and presumably no confession makes life tricky for plod.

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What a disaster.

So can someone please summarise the position now as my head hurts and my pocket is near £1000 down? Is he free to continue ingrained behaviours or is there a chance he will be made bankrupt?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

The OR is probably the best body to be dealing with CR and his company. Unlike insolvency practitioners in the private sector, the OR does not have to concern himself with wondering where his fee is coming from. The OR is obliged to prepare a full report on the directors' conduct and to submit this to what used to be the DTI. A decision is then made as to whether there is any justification for instituting legal proceedings with a view to having one or more of the directors disqualified from being a director for a period of up to 15 years. The (DTI) will only prosecute if they think there is a realistic chance of success - to do otherwise would leave them exposed to being accused of wasting public money.

If CR is made bankrupt he would not be allowed to act as a director. The definition of a director in this context includes a 'shadow director'. This is someone who is acting as director in all respects, but has not actually been appointed as such. This is designed to prevent someone being appointed a 'puppet director' whose strings are being pulled by someone else, namely a shadow director.

I do not know the extent to which pressure can be brought to bear on the OR. However, it can do no harm for all affected people to write to the OR setting out the circumstances in which they have lost money - if enough people write with substantiated evidence I would hope that the OR will pay some attention. I would also point out to the OR that CR has set up a new company that would appear to be trading in the same sector as the one that has gone bust.

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Chris Mason, trouble is that as I understand it Chris Reynard was not trading as a limited company but as a sole trader at which point the OR (again if I understand things correctly) has no say in the matter. So far as I can see Reynard will get away with it, becuase there is insufficient evidence to prove wrongdoing, everyone knows he's ripped people off but proving it in a court of law is probably impossible, The schools have paid their money, the hotels got no money they only explanation is that it went into Reynards band and then vanished, how he managed to do that I have no idea, in the US I'd guess a class action would take place vs Reynard, however I believe no such option is available under uk law (apparently it was considered but the ramifications of the RBS debacle would have left the government significantly out of pocket) So in the end I guess it's going to be down to schools and LEA's to refund the money, a bad taste all around with Reynard already starting a new company

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Alastair Pink, God alone knows, they all seem like a bunch of dishonest crooks to me right now, all blaming each other and no one paying out, does make you wonder how much longer school trips can continue with the dishonesty that this case has shown up.

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After all it is free

agw, You' think so wouldn't you, but despite seeming to have lots of assets I think we will find they are all in other peoples names, proving they are his then becomes much harder Evil or Very Mad

Also I don't understand how he can go off and register a new Ltd company (and presumably himself as a director) whilst being taken through bankruptcy proceedings, which as I understand it one company is doing, I thought it was illegal for an undischarged bankrupt to have a position as a company director ?

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D G Orf,
I guess that's the trick, he has not actually been found guilty of anything, been made bankrupt or whatever, yet. So he might have a bit of history, bit of a bad credit rating perhaps but nothing that really counts against him, yet.

Help!!

Skiing Europe/Chris Reynard - Children's ski holiday left in ruins.

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