A director who paid his creditors but forgot to pay the taxman has been banned from running a company for three-and-a-half years.

Harley Wenman, 45, was a director of Magic Transport Limited, a road haulage company in Ipswich.

Mr Wenman’s three-and-a-half year disqualification, which began on May 21, follows an investigation by the Insolvency Service.

He has given an undertaking to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable, that he will not act as a director of a limited company for the duration of his ban.

Magic Transport Limited went into voluntary liquidation in November 2011 owing £281,069, including £252,464 to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in unpaid tax.

A spokesman for the Insolvency Service said the company failed to submit VAT returns between December 2009 and September 2011 and as a result HMRC raised assessments and surcharges totalling £127,030 but received back £6,230.

The company also incurred PAYE debts of £95,751 between April 2009 and November 2011 but only paid £15,218.

From April 2009 to November 2011, £1,626,060 was paid out of the company bank account, of which £1,143,827 was paid in respect of trade and expenses.

Mark Bruce, a chief examiner at the Insolvency Service, said: “Directors who fail to pay taxes, especially after taking money from the public should not expect to get away with it as the money rightly belongs to the taxpayer.

“Other directors tempted to follow this path should get the message: if you run a business in a way that is detrimental to either customers or creditors you can expect to lose the protection afforded by limited liability.

“The Insolvency Service will investigate and remove you from the business environment.”

A disqualified director cannot, without specific permission of a court, as a director of a company; take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership; act as an insolvency practitioner; or be a receiver of a company’s property.