Garry Pettigrew, who was the director of Healthcare Environmental Services Limited, was banned until 2035 following an investigation by the Insolvency Service.

An Insolvency Service spokesperson said: ‘Garry Pettigrew breached his duties as a company director by transferring assets worth almost £3m to connected companies when he knew his business was losing, or about to lose, valuable NHS contracts.'

Healthcare Environmental Services Limited lost significant NHS contracts across a two-day period in early October 2018 after Pettigrew attended a meeting with NHS and Government officials the previous month to discuss allegations of stockpiling waste in breach of Environment Agency permits. 

Between October and December 2018, in a series of transactions, Pettigrew caused the transfer of assets worth £2,979,383 from Healthcare Environmental Services Limited to HEG Sustainable Solutions Limited and Starryshaw Consultants Ltd, two connected companies of which, at that time, he and his wife were the only directors. 

The transfers were made without the consent of the company's bank, which held a charge over all the firm's assets, and despite advice from its accountants and solicitors that consent was required.  

An attempt to sell the company collapsed in December 2018 and trading ceased with all staff being made redundant.