Neil Wilby Media

It was a big call for Neil Wilby Media to take on this public interest investigation – and one that now looks to have been fully justified.

A computer company based in West Lancashire that drew attention to itself as the headquarters of a relentless, deeply unpleasant social media and internet troll, known as ‘The Ormskirk Vigilante’ (read more here), first came under journalistic scrutiny in May, 2023.

On 27th June, the first article was published by Neil Wilby Media under the headline ‘Like a dog with a bone‘ (as investigative journalists are by vocation) with three more in the series following across the subsequent four weeks, each one with new revelations of impropriety, misrepresentation and serious governance failings. Akin to a slow motion train crash.

The two Directors, Paul Arthur Ponting, ‘The Vigilante’ himself, and his wife, Anna Marie Ponting, delivered vile ad hominem abuse by way of exercising their right of reply to that first article but have never once sought to serve the public interest, their customers, suppliers, professional associates and taxpayers who look likely to lose out heavily and address the failings identified by assiduous research and interviewing – and the resultant balanced reporting.

Instead, they claimed, in an attempt to frustrate further investigations into what is now a lengthy catalogue of calculated deceit, and without any evidential foundation, that the author had defamed their company, Danoli Computer Solutions Ltd. Paul Ponting reported Neil Wilby to West Yorkshire Police for alleged harassment and stalking over the various exposés. That was bridged with a series of threats to harm the author made either on social media or by email.

This YouTube film clip is how the two directors represent their company when out and about in a liveried vehicle:

But yesterday, 27th July, 2023, saw a startling development as it became apparent that the company was in even deeper trouble than previously reported, as a document filed on Danoli’s records at Companies House noted, officially, the impending demise of the computer firm by way of what is known as a compulsory strike-off.

When Companies House issues a compulsory strike-off notice, it means that the Registrar of Companies is taking action to dissolve the company and remove it from the Companies Register. This process is known as “compulsory strike-off” or “compulsory dissolution.”

Companies House may issue a compulsory strike-off notice for various reasons, including:

1. Non-Filing of Annual Accounts and Confirmation Statement: If a company fails to submit its annual accounts or confirmation statement to Companies House, it is considered a breach of the statutory filing requirements. That defect was, in fact, the principal topic in the first article published by Neil Wilby Media.
2. Lack of Communication: If Companies House is unable to communicate with the company or its directors, or if they believe that the company is no longer in operation, they may initiate the compulsory strike-off process.
3. No Trading Activity: If Companies House has reason to believe that the company is not carrying on any business or trading activities, they may proceed with the strike-off.
4. Liquidation or Insolvency: If a company is undergoing liquidation or insolvency proceedings, it may be subject to compulsory strike-off. That was essentially the core of the fourth Neil Wilby Media article published on 19th July and posed the question of Danoli trading whilst insolvent.

The process of compulsory strike-off typically involves the following steps:

1. Notice: Companies House will issue a notice to the Company’s Registered Office address stating their intention to strike off the company from the Register. This notice provides a two-month notice period during which the company can rectify its non-compliance.
2. Gazette Publication: After the two-month notice period has expired, a notice of the intended strike-off is published in the London Gazette (the official public record). This provides one last opportunity for interested parties to object to the strike-off.
3. Final Strike-off: If no objections are raised, Companies House will proceed with the strike-off, and the company will be dissolved. The Company’s name will be removed from the Register, and its assets (if any) will become “bona vacantia,” meaning they will become the property of the Crown.

It’s essential for the Directors and shareholders of a company to respond to the compulsory strike-off notice promptly. If the company is still active and wishes to continue trading, they should file any outstanding documents and submit the necessary forms to Companies House to prevent the strike-off from proceeding. If the company is no longer operating, it should be formally closed down through the appropriate legal procedures, such as a voluntary strike-off or liquidation.

Failure to respond to a compulsory strike-off notice can have serious consequences, including the risk of personal liability for the company’s debts and potential disqualification of the subject company’s directors. Therefore, it is considered to be essential to seek professional advice and take the necessary steps to comply with Companies House requirements. Matters that the two Danoli Directors, Paul and Anna Ponting, have gone to considerable lengths to avoid doing.

Once the full details of the contemplated strike-off are published in The London Gazette, an objection will be lodged with the Registrar of Companies, together with an application for a six month stay, so that the lengthy and, arguably, nefarious catalogue of Danoli and Ponting misdemeanours can be appropriately, and proportionately, investigated before the company fades into history.

Both Directors of Danoli Computer Solutions Ltd. were offered specific right of reply, or invited to issue a statement, at this weblink.  This is their response and one that those familiar with Paul Ponting’s history will recognise. No facts, no evidence, no cogent argument; just unpleasantness and threats:

“Carry on with your crap, and lots of stuff will be made public and you can blame yourself for it”.

Follow Neil Wilby on Twitter (here) and Neil Wilby Media on Facebook (here) for signposts to any updates.

Page last updated: Saturday 29th July, 2023 at 08h45

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Picture credit: Companies House

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