Scaffold chief’s dog killed by intruders

Former Bow Scaffolding managing director Michael Bowkett and his family have been victims of a horrific robbery, in which the family’s pet dog was killed.

Two masked men burst into Bowkett’s home in Hazeleigh, Essex, at 5.30am on Wednesday 21 July. They got away with "jewellery and a few bits and pieces", according to Bowkett, worth up to £5,000. During the raid the burglars killed the family’s dog, but Essex Police would not confirm rumours that the dog was beheaded with a machete.

Bowkett told CJ his wife and three children were "shook up" by the raid. They have now gone on holiday to get over it.

Bowkett came in for criticism recently from Bow creditors after it emerged that he set up his new company, Scaffserve, eight weeks before Bow collapsed with debts of up to £20m (CJ 28 July).

Asked if he thought there was any connection between the burglary and angry creditors, Bowkett said: "If it was connected, then I think we would have found out at the time."

But an Essex Police spokeswoman did not rule out a connection. She said: "This is a highly complicated case. We’re following several lines of inquiry."

• Redundancies at Bow Scaffolding have been pinned back to just 10, Bowkett said. "We’ve saved 130 employees from redundancy by offering them employment with Scaffserve," he said. The North East division of Bow has been sold to a management buyout team.