Former Bickerton directors miss hearing and judge reserves judgment

Former construction company bosses William Berry and John Aviss face a written judgment within the month after they failed to attend the hearing of their case this week.

High Court judge Mr Justice Lewison had ruled on Monday that the case should proceed despite the men’s request for an adjournment, saying that to delay proceedings would be “no more than staving off the evil day”. The hearing had been scheduled to last ten days.

The action against Berry and Aviss is being brought by the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) in relation to a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation into the Mea Corporation, which was owned by Aviss.

The DTI is seeking to disqualify the two men from holding directorships, on the grounds that they are unsuitable to be considered for the management of a company.

Following a brief hearing held in the men’s absence on Tuesday morning, Lewison reserved judgment.

No fixed date has yet been given for the written judgment, but it is likely to be issued before the end of the current legal term.

[Additional reporting by Roger Pearson, UK Law News.]