³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

A man has been banned from running a company for eight years after two firms made 221 million nuisance calls.

Richard Jones was director of Miss-Sold Products UK Limited and Your Money Rights Limited that made unsolicited PPI calls in 2015 and 2016.

Mr Jones, 31, from Carmarthen, cannot be involved in forming or managing companies until March 2027.

David Brooks of the Insolvency Service said there were "no justifications" for what Mr Jones had done.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said about 250 complaints were made about Your Money Rights for 146 million nuisance calls, mostly containing a recorded message about PPI refunds.

The ICO said efforts to engage with the company were "thwarted".

A £350,000 fine was issued, which went unpaid, leading to Your Money Rights being wound up in March 2018.

Separately, 146 complaints were made about 75 million automated marketing calls from Miss-Sold Products UK.

Another £350,000 fine was meted out, leading to the firm being wound up in June 2018.

Investigators concluded Mr Jones played a central role in causing the companies to breach privacy and electronic communications regulations.

Andy Curry, ICO investigations group manager, said: "Richard Jones is one of the worst offenders we have come across in the 15 years since laws around electronic nuisance marketing were introduced.

"This disqualification which takes him out of action is good news for all those who have been a victim of his cold calling and should be a warning to other operators who use similar marketing techniques."