Liverpool Director Banned for Ripping Off Clients with Fake Police Magazine
Alan Peterson, sole director of Sage Media National Limited, has been slapped with an 11-year ban for running a dodgy magazine scheme that duped businesses out of thousands. The Liverpool-based firm produced a glossy called Copperwheel for the West Midlands Police Motor Club – or so it claimed.
Fake Emergency Service Links and Aggressive Sales
Starting in January 2018, Sage Media cold-called businesses to flog ad space in the twice-yearly magazine. But it wasn’t just pushy – it lied about its ties to the emergency services and boasted a hefty subscriber list that didn’t exist, tricking clients into parting with cash for ads that never ran.
- Clients were billed for adverts they never agreed to.
- A charity ended up paying for two extra ads from a volunteer’s own wallet.
- £74,000 was taken for ads that never appeared in any issue.
Financial Records Missing, Money Vanished
When authorities probed, Sage Media failed to keep proper accounts. Over £32,000 mysteriously landed in Peterson’s personal bank account. The Insolvency Service forced the company into liquidation in November 2020 and launched a full investigation.
Heavy Penalty for Alan Peterson
In June 2022, Peterson accepted a lengthy disqualification, banning him from managing or directing any company without court approval. Karen Maxwell, Deputy Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, slammed his “objectionable tactics” and said the ban reflected the “serious financial misconduct” uncovered.
“Sage Media National Limited unscrupulously targeted companies using aggressive sales tactics to advertise in a magazine that didn’t have the reach or associations that it falsely claimed to have,” Maxwell said. “Alan Peterson was ultimately responsible for abusing clients of thousands of pounds. This case shows the Insolvency Service’s full muscle in tackling financial wrongdoing.”
