- Dale Laverick and Alessandro Da Silva ignored the mounting debts of K and L Restaurants Ltd, attempting to lease luxury cars instead
- Despite knowing their company was insolvent from May 2022, the directors waited more than a year before seeking professional insolvency advice
- Laverick and Da Silva have both been disqualified for five years following Insolvency Service investigations
The two directors behind Brazilian steakhouses in North Yorkshire who attempted to lease luxury vehicles at a time when their company was unable to pay its debts have been disqualified.
Dale Laverick, 41, and Alessandro Da Silva, 42, were directors of K and L Restaurants Ltd, which traded as Caramba Steakhouse on Brook Street in Selby and Stirling Road in York.
By the summer of 2022, K and L Restaurants Ltd was in financial trouble, owing £17,080 to HMRC. Multiple debt collectors had also been appointed to recover outstanding rent and business rates for the York restaurant which had only opened in the autumn of 2021.
However, the pair ignored the financial position their company was in, only seeking specialist insolvency advice more than one year later.
In that time, they also sought to lease Land Rovers using company funds before being encouraged to upgrade to an Audi and a Lamborghini.
Laverick, of Vincent Way, York, and Da Silva, of Courtneys, Selby, have both been banned as company directors for five years following Insolvency Service investigations.
Rob Clarke, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said
Dale Laverick and Alessandro Da Silva’s actions were utterly unreasonable and unacceptable. While their company owed substantial sums to HMRC and other creditors, including unpaid rent of more than £76,000, they were trying to lease luxury vehicles for themselves.
The directors knew their company was insolvent but waited more than a year before seeking proper insolvency advice. In that time, they prioritised their own interests over those of the creditors their company owed money to.
The Insolvency Service will not tolerate directors ignoring their legal obligations and we remain committed to protecting creditors and maintaining a level playing field for responsible businesses.
K and L Restaurants Ltd was established in May 2020. A previous company, Caramba Steakhouse Ltd, operated from the Selby address and was directed by Laverick and Da Silva.
Caramba Steakhouse Ltd went into liquidation in October 2020, owing just under £100,000 in tax. Before it entered liquidation, Caramba Steakhouse Ltd’s assets were sold to its successor business, K and L Restaurants Ltd.
By the end of May 2022, K and L Restaurants Ltd was also in financial difficulty, unable to pay its debts, and behind on payments to HMRC.
The company had also not paid any of the rent for Caramba in York which opened in October 2021.
Debt collectors were appointed in June 2022 to recover £76,788 from K and L Restaurants Ltd in outstanding rent and service charges for the York restaurant.
They had also been instructed to collect £46,744 in outstanding business rates.
Laverick signed off year-end accounts for the period ending May 2022 which showed that K and L Restaurants Ltd was insolvent, owing £63,078.
Despite the dire financial situation the company was in, Laverick and Da Silva sought to lease luxury vehicles via the company for their use.
The pair first attempted to lease Land Rovers which were unavailable before being told they could upgrade to an Audi and Lamborghini.
Laverick and Da Silva returned the Audi and pulled out of the lease for the Lamborghini before receiving the car. However, K and L Restaurants Ltd paid out £20,440 in these lease agreements between September and December 2022.
The directors did not seek independent professional advice on K and L Restaurants Ltd’s financial state until June 2023.
Just two days after receiving the advice, the company stopped trading and went into liquidation the following month.
Laverick and Da Silva’s decision to continue trading from the end of May 2022 added more than £180,000 to the company’s debts.
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted disqualification undertakings from Laverick and Da Silva, and their bans started on Wednesday 12 November and Friday 14 November respectively.
The undertakings prevent them from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.
