A restauranteur has been banned from running businesses after abusing thousands of pounds worth of Government money during the Covid pandemic.

Kamil Ozkan, 36, was the director of a County Durham-based company that applied for Bounce Back Loans to support its future during the lockdown period.

But his actions of transferring the money to his own bank account were discovered after the company entered liquidation.

Mr Ozkan, from West Rainton, near Houghton le Spring, was the sole director of Papa Peterlee Limited, trading as Martino's Italian Kitchen on York Road in Peterlee.

Investigators discovered that Papa Peterlee Limited successfully received a £50,000 Bounce Back Loan.

But instead of using the loan for the economic benefit of the company, Kamil Ozkan caused the company to transfer up to £37,500 to his personal account.

He is now banned from directly, or indirectly, becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

Mike Smith, chief investigator for the Insolvency Service, said: “Covid support schemes provided a lifeline to businesses, protecting jobs and preserving businesses.

"However, Kamil Ozkan flagrantly abused that support when they either personally benefited from the loan or exaggerated turnover to secure more money than they were entitled to.”

Mr Ozkan has now been removed from the corporate arena and creditors will be protected from any further harm.

His six-year disqualification undertaking was accepted by the Secretary of State on 6 September 2022.

Read next: 

If you want to read more stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here