Catherine Ravenscroft prosecutes three for fraudulent home alarm business targeting vulnerable people

Catherine Ravenscroft, led by Mark Jackson of No 8 Chambers and instructed by Birmingham City Council National Trading Standards, prosecuted in R v Kevin Powell, Lyndsey Powell and John Powell. The defendants were sentenced on 6 November.

Kevin and Lyndsey Powell established Brit Fire & Security Limited to sell home alarm systems. The company was set up for a dishonest purpose and traded fraudulently from the outset, targeting elderly and vulnerable people through aggressive and dishonest sales tactics.

Kevin Powell controlled the business despite being subject to a director’s disqualification and enlisted his father, John Powell, and another individual as directors to create the appearance that he was not in control.

His wife, Lyndsey Powell knowingly participated in the fraudulent business, acting under Kevin’s direction with full knowledge of the targeting of vulnerable people. She also dealt directly with customers, whom the sentencing judge described her as having treated “shamefully”.

All three defendants were convicted of fraudulent trading, offences relating to Kevin Powell’s director disqualification undertaking, and money laundering offences involving the proceeds of the business. 

Kevin Powell received eight years’ imprisonment and a 15-year director disqualification. Lyndsey Powell received six years’ imprisonment, and a 10-year director disqualification and John Powell received 20 months imprisonment suspended for 24 months and a 5-year director disqualification.