A Sussex business owner has denied fraudulently evading his pension duties.
Lee Bartholomew, 44, of Lockside, Tonbridge in Kent, appeared at Hove Trial Centre on June 8 charged with pension fraud against his employees.
The charge, brought by The Pensions Regulator (TPR), related to the business 1066 Target Sports Ltd in St Leonards, East Sussex, of which Bartholomew is the company director.
Bartholomew pleaded not guilty to one count of fraudulently deducting money from the salaries of his employees as pension contributions and failing to pay it into a workplace pension scheme within a prescribed period.
Under Section 49(11) of the Pensions Act 1995, it is a criminal offence to evade this employer duty.
Bartholomew previously appeared at a hearing at Brighton Magistrates Court on May 4, 2023 where he denied the charge and an additional charge of failure to provide information requested under Section 72 of the Pensions Act 2004, which is a summary offence under Section 77 of the Pensions Act 2004.
TPR said the charge under Section 77 will be dealt with at a separate hearing.
A seven day trial has been fixed for May 7, 2024 at Lewes Crown Court.
sonia.rach@ft.com
