Two MGA directors face jail for fraud and perjury

Two ex-directors of failed underwriting agency Shakespeare Underwriting face jail after being found guilty of fraudulent trading and perjury.

At Warwick Crown Court, Jayson Hollier, 39, was found guilty of two counts of perjury relating to Shakespeare Underwriting and CIA Insurance Services to the High Court in May 2006.

He was also found guilty last Thursday of one count of fraudulent trading in the Bentley Group, a holding company set up by Andrew Booth.

Andrew Booth, 59, was found guilty of one count of fraudulent trading for Shakespeare Underwriting, one count of fraudulent trading for the Bentley Group, one count of theft for £45,000 and two counts of perjury relating to Shakespeare Underwriting and CIA Insurance Services to the High Court in May 2006.

Hollier’s mother, Linda Letchford, 59, was originally charged with one count of fraudulent trading but this was dismissed at the close of the prosecution case.

Hollier and Booth will be sentenced in May.

Shakespeare was a Warwickshire-based underwriting agency with offices in Caerphilly, Romford and Rugby.

The agency, which specialised in motorcycle, private car, household, commercial vehicle and property, fell into administration in January 2006.

Welsh-based broker Moorhouse purchased the assets at the time, stating at the time that one of its priorities was to resolve the company’s performance issues.