Latest news with #JamesTucker
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Builder accused of £2m fraud denies business was Ponzi scheme
A builder accused of defrauding customers of more than £2m denies his business was nothing but a pyramid Killick, 56, from Paulton in Somerset, denies 46 counts of fraud against homeowners across the west between December 2019 and November 2021 and is on trial at Bristol Crown allege they paid thousands of pounds for work that was barely started before Mr Killick disappeared. During cross-examination on Wednesday, he was accused of recruiting customers into his business and using their deposits to pay for previous jobs, while at the same time creaming off money for himself. James Tucker, prosecuting, asked the defendant if he was marketing his company, TD Cole LTD, as a large company that was skilled and reliable, when in reality it had no employees, no business assets and no premises."You gave a very attractive proposition to clients - one that you had all the trades necessary for the job and two that it was a fixed price quote," Mr Tucker said."It had all that," Mr Killick replied."Is it in fact the case that you knew that the way you were running TD Cole the company would inevitably crash and leave customers out of pocket?" Mr Tucker asked. Mr Killick said the company had gone into liquidation due to factors beyond his control, and that it had cash flow problems."The reason you had a cash flow problem was because you were running it as a fraud. A pyramid scheme," Mr Tucker said."That's completely mental," Mr Killick added: "We were operating the same as most other businesses in the UK. You are looking at a tiny snapshot." Mr Tucker said: "You were using the rest of your customers' money to go into your pocket."Mr Killick responded: "All of the money coming in was sales and and the money going out was business expenses and yes I did get wages like anybody else."Mr Killick did not answer when asked where all the accounts setting out the company's assets and liabilities were, or if any such documents had ever existed."Is the reason there's no full documents because all you need to run a Ponzi scheme is to keep selling and to put off any costs for as long as possible before the company inevitably goes pop?" Mr Tucker said. "There's no basis to the figures you're saying. It's just a load of rubbish," Mr Killick defendant claimed he intended to complete all of the jobs booked, and said they were halted due to factors beyond his alleged customers were being "unreasonable" in their demands and said he never set out to defraud have been told Mr Killick served time in prison after pleading guilty to fraud charges in 2014, and had previously pleaded guilty to further fraud charges in both 2008 and trial continues.
CBC
6 days ago
- CBC
Trial postponed as Yukon government and Jack Hulland families enter settlement discussions
Social Sharing The trial of a class-action lawsuit brought by families of Jack Hulland Elementary School in Whitehorse has been postponed for potential settlement discussions. The class-action represents former students who say they were subject to holds, restraints, or placed in seclusion at the school between January 2007 and June 2022. The trial was scheduled to start Monday and run for three weeks. James Tucker, a lawyer representing the families, told CBC Monday morning that the groups are instead meeting for a potential settlement discussion. Settlement negotiations are confidential, Tucker said. In an emailed statement, the Yukon's Department of Justice said it's "committed to achieving a fair and respectful settlement." The statement said that procedures inside schools have changed since 2022. "The government of Yukon acknowledges that some students at Jack Hulland Elementary School were treated in ways that were wrong and harmful," the statement said. "We recognize the pain this caused not only to those students, but to their families, the school community, and the broader Yukon public." The trial has been tentatively rescheduled for Aug. 13. If a settlement agreement is not reached, the trial is expected to happen over 15 days. 'Hundreds' of potential plaintiffs involved The lawsuit alleges that students were repeatedly put in holds and seclusion over 15 years. The plaintiffs allege it caused severe psychological and emotional damage, to the point of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Tucker said last week that "hundreds" of former students have stepped forward as potential plaintiffs and he expects to hear from more. "Our allegation is that these practices were used routinely and repeatedly at this school over a 15-year period," Tucker said in an interview. "So, I'm not even sure that we have identified all the people who were truly impacted." Two former students and their guardians brought the lawsuit as the representative plaintiffs. "It's been a very tough process for them," Tucker said. "They want to see these practices brought to light, they want people to know what occurred, and while they know the past can't be altered — their hope is that these practices will not continue into the future."
CBC
6 days ago
- CBC
Jack Hulland families, Yukon gov't reach tentative settlement in holds and seclusion lawsuit
Social Sharing Jack Hulland families and the Yukon government have reached a tentative settlement agreement in a class action lawsuit. The scheduled trial was postponed on Monday for settlement discussions. The lawsuit alleges that holds, restraints and seclusion rooms were used inappropriately at Jack Hulland Elementary School in Whitehorse from 2007 to 2022. It alleges that students suffered psychological damage to the point of developing post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and addiction issues respectively. If the agreement goes through, hundreds of former students could be entitled to a payout. Lawyers for both sides appeared before the Yukon Supreme Court on Wednesday. James Tucker, a lawyer representing the families, told the court "discussions are going well" and an agreement in principle has been reached. It outlines how compensation will eventually be paid out to plaintiffs who file claims. Tucker asked for a further adjournment to put the agreement in writing and get final approval from the families and the government. Once the settlement agreement is finalized, a notice will go out to all potential plaintiffs summarizing the general terms. They will have time to state objections or concerns to the agreement. The lawyers suggested this process could take several weeks. The final settlement agreement will require court approval.
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Yahoo
Trial postponed as Yukon government and Jack Hulland families enter settlement discussions
The trial of a class-action lawsuit brought by families of Jack Hulland Elementary School in Whitehorse has been postponed for potential settlement discussions. The class-action represents former students who say they were subject to holds, restraints, or placed in seclusion at the school between January 2007 and June 2022. The trial was scheduled to start Monday and run for three weeks. James Tucker, a lawyer representing the families, told CBC Monday morning that the groups are instead meeting for a potential settlement discussion. Settlement negotiations are confidential, Tucker said. The trial has been tentatively rescheduled for Aug. 13. If a settlement agreement is not reached, the trial is expected to happen over 15 days. 'Hundreds' of potential plaintiffs involved The lawsuit alleges that students were repeatedly put in holds and seclusion over 15 years. The plaintiffs allege it caused severe psychological and emotional damage, to the point of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Tucker said last week that "hundreds" of former students have stepped forward as potential plaintiffs and he expects to hear from more. "Our allegation is that these practices were used routinely and repeatedly at this school over a 15-year period," Tucker said in an interview. "So, I'm not even sure that we have identified all the people who were truly impacted." Two former students and their guardians brought the lawsuit as the representative plaintiffs. "It's been a very tough process for them," Tucker said. "They want to see these practices brought to light, they want people to know what occurred, and while they know the past can't be altered — their hope is that these practices will not continue into the future." The Yukon Department of Education is named as the defendant. The government's statement of defence denies many of the allegations, including that the school had "forcible confinement policies." The Jack Hulland school council settled with families last year. The Justice department did not respond to CBC's request for comment by deadline.
Newsroom
03-08-2025
- Business
- Newsroom
Restaurateur linked to 11 liquidations now owes the Govt $2m
The man behind Auckland's Kohi Beach Eatery and burger chain Downlow has had two more companies placed into liquidation with his businesses owing a combined $2.08 million to the Government. Liquidation documents outlining debts owed by James Tucker's businesses show they are $2,007,907 in arrears to Inland Revenue for unpaid taxes and owe another $81,833.60 to the Ministry for Social Development. The ministry confirmed it is seeking to recover the money for Covid-19 wage subsidy payments claimed by one of Tucker's companies which was ineligible.
