The husband and wife directorship team running a high-profile award-winning kitchen retail operation have each been banned from the boardroom after the company was wound up with debts of more than £2.6 million.
McAuley Kitchens, set up in 1958 and which grew from a two-man operation to a business of more than 60 staff, was feted by Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment minister Arlene Foster at a gala bash seven years ago to mark its half century.
But ironically Deti's latest action has been to bring a case against its principal directors Wesley Alexander McAuley (48) and his wife Helen McAuley (49), both of Bann Road in Ballymoney.
They accepted disqualification undertakings of eight and two years respectively after admitting a series of misdemeanours while at the helm of the company.
It manufactured kitchens at premises in Market Street, Ballymoney, and later went on to open Northern Ireland’s largest dedicated kitchen showroom on Belfast’s Boucher Road in September 2008.
But just three years later McAuley Kitchens went into liquidation with total liabilities of £2,669,311, including a floating charge holder of £508,919.
Wesley McAuley admitted causing the company to misuse a commercial finance invoice discounting agreement resulting in a loss to the bank of £560,044.
This came through failing to pay £161,397 relating to payments made by debtors which could not be identified by or were not received by the bank; by misallocating £482,723 of debtor receipts; and by notifying and receiving advances on £271,870 of debts relating to either work not started or incomplete.
He also allowed the firm to withhold nearly £200,000 in various taxes, including £95,970 in PAYE, £45,613 of national insurance and £57,248 in VAT.
Helen McAuley was said to have failed to adequately address the affairs of the company and allowing herself to be recorded as a director without undertaking the duties such a position entails.
During a celebration to mark the McAuley Kitchens showroom opening, economy minister Arlene Foster congratulated the company on its successes over half a century and reiterated her strong support for indigenous companies like it, which helped to strengthen Northern Ireland’s enterprise and trade.
At the time owner Wesley McAuley said: “Since we started trading we have gone from strength to strength. Our message of friendly service combined with our pain-free five-step installation plan has really hit home with our customers."
Just 15 months before the company's collapse it scooped the 'Best NI Showroom' prize at the KPI Awards in Dublin's Four Seasons Hotel, hosted by Patrick Kielty.
