Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

The director of a Target Sports centre in St Leonards who has denied fraudulently evading his pension duties will stand trial next year, The Pensions Regulator said.

Lee Bartholomew, 44, of Lockside, Tonbridge, Kent, company director of 1066 Target Sports Ltd in St Leonards, appeared at Hove Trial Centre yesterday (Thursday, June 8) charged with pension fraud against his employees in a prosecution brought by The Pensions Regulator, a spokesperson said.

The charge relates to the business 1066 Target Sports Ltd in St Leonards, of which Mr Bartholomew is the company director.

A spokesperson for The Pensions Regulator said: “Mr 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. Under Section 49(11) of the Pensions Act 1995, it is a criminal offence to evade this employer duty.

“A seven-day trial was fixed for Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at Lewes Crown Court.”

The Pensions Regulator said Mr Bartholomew previously appeared at a hearing at Brighton Magistrates Court on May 4 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.

The charge under Section 77 will be dealt with at a separate hearing, the Pensions Regulator added.

St Leonards 1066 Target Sports Ltd director who denies pension fraud to stand trial