Raymond Anthony Andrews committed multiple frauds running businesses whilst bankrupt including conviction in 2013 for failure to pay for beauty therapy equipment and conviction in 2019 for defrauding buyers of used cars. Sentence of six and a half years’ imprisonment was confirmed by the Court of Appeal.
Bankrupted in 2008, Andrews’ bankruptcy was extended to 2018 following conviction for managing a beauty therapy business whilst bankrupt.
Andrews was convicted in 2019 and sentenced to six and half years’ imprisonment by the Auckland District Court for operating a used car business whilst bankrupt and defrauding customers. The court was told he imported vehicles from Australia (often insurance write-offs) which were then repaired, certified and on-sold. There was evidence of vehicle VIN numbers altered to prevent vehicle history being traced. Customers gave evidence of payment made but no vehicles delivered, or different vehicles from that ordered delivered, or unrepaired vehicles delivered. Police estimate customers were defrauded of some $700,000.
Andrews claimed he was not operating a used car business whilst bankrupt; he had an unwritten agency agreement with his son and was acting as an agent of his son’s car business. His son denied his father had any authority to act on his behalf. At trial, the jury convicted Andrews of operating a used car business while bankrupt. He was also convicted of other Insolvency Act offences: wilfully misleading Insolvency Service (by not disclosing bank accounts he had control over) and concealing property (funds held in the bank accounts).
Andrews challenge to the way trial counsel presented his case in court was dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
His earlier involvement in a beauty therapy business resulted in convictions for obtaining by deception: making no payments on the lease of a laser hair removal machine (which Andrews later claimed had gone missing, stolen) and failing to pay a promised $4000 for purchase of a E-Light IPL beauty machine. In 2013, he was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment by the Tauranga District Court.
Andrews v. R. – Court of Appeal (31.08.21)
21.145