The company director of a target sports centre has denied fraudulently evading his pension duties, pleading not guilty at Hove Trial Centre yesterday (Thursday 8 June).

In a prosecution brought by The Pensions Regulator (TPR), Lee Bartholomew was accused of fraudulently deducting money from the salaries of employees of 1066 Target Sports Ltd as contributions towards the company’s pension scheme, and not paying it in.

Under Section 49(11) of the Pensions Act 1995, it is a criminal offence to evade this employer duty.

However, Bartholomew pleaded not guilty to one count of fraudulently deducting money from the salaries of his employees as pensions contributions and failing to pay it into a workplace pension scheme within a prescribed period.

A seven-day trial has now been fixed for Tuesday 7 May 2024 at Lewes Crown Court.

Bartholomew also previously appeared at a hearing at Brighton Magistrates Court on 4 May 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 has confirmed that the charge under Section 77 will be dealt with at a separate hearing.

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