A FORMER businessman has received a further setback in his bid to end a 21-year-old legal nightmare.

Ted Winter, who ran the Queen's Hotel, in Stockton, faces accumulated tax arrears of more than £250,000 arising from a fire that burnt down the hotel in 1980.

Mr Winter, who is bankrupt, wants a full investigation into his business affairs which he says led to the spiralling tax debt.

Mr Winter, who lives in Yarm, is waiting to hear if police will investigate his complaints.

It has now been revealed that the Law Society has declined to look into the case.

A letter from the society said that because Mr Winter's complaint relates to events in the 1980s and 1990s it was outside their time-limit for cases.

Mr Winter said: "All I want is justice. The society says it is out of time, but it is ongoing for me, every morning and every night of every day for more than 21 years now. It has ruined my life.

"All I want is justice and after all this time, I am not going to give in.

"I am 68 in March, but I have the heart of a 21-year-old and no way will I give in, though I have now tried every avenue.''

What started as capital gains tax arrears of £120,000 has grown to more than £254,850 because of penalties and interest of £1,000 a week.

Mr Winter, who once owned a Rolls Royce, has unsuccessfully appealed to the Inland Revenue to waive the debt.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court in 1993 for threatening to kill a litigation manager with a solicitors' firm and a tax advisor.

Mr Winter's barrister told the judge his client had been given flawed advice.