According to claims made by former shareholders in the business directory, Tony Bates let his fingers do the walking to conceal the 'true financial position' of the firm 'with a view to gain for himself'.
Before the internet, fat annual editions of the Yellow Pages phone book were the original 'search engine' for consumers They are bringing the case themselves after the police, Serious Fraud Office, Financial Conduct Authority and Insolvency Service declined to do so. But Judge Brennan referred the case on to Reading Crown Court for its next hearing, in October. Bates, who owns a £4 million house mortgage-free in Islington, north London, was given unconditional bail in the approach to the hearing.