Comments can be sent to us at irnist23@gmail.com

INTRODUCTION
This Blog is dedicated to making public some of the business activities and methods of Liam Collins, David Bone Jr and their associates. In the spring of 2010, the present authors invested in Collins & Bone (C&B), who were offering an enticing 8-10% interest on the basis of buying houses for cash, renovating them and letting them out to students. We were assured that our money was secured against houses that they owned, including their own homes and the properties held by their associated company, Castle & Gatehouse (C&G). We have emails and brochures that confirm these details, as do others who invested on this same basis at around the same time. The idea worked for us for over a year, then in November 2011 they told us they were insolvent. They refused our every request for clear accounts, which led us to suspect wrongdoing. We began an investigation and then started this Blog. We found our suspicions confirmed: other investors had lost sometimes quite large amounts to C&B and its predecessor CBS, and all requests for repayment were adamantly refused. These people use and have used so many names that we found it necessary to compress them into CoBo (for Collins & Bone) and Coboco (for the whole bunch of them – there are quite a few!) Note that there is an index in the margin at the right hand side.

Wednesday 28 November 2012

MORE ABOUT NOVOCASTRIA LETTINGS AND MARK BLACK

This message just came in as a comment to our post of 5th June 2012, so we are posting it here in order to give it some present relevance. We are at the moment unable to vouch for its authenticity, but if true, it is obviously a matter for some serious concern, because it is often difficult or nearly impossible for tenants to get assistance from overburdened authorities and legal redress is usually not an option. Perhaps 'Anonymous' will be in touch with us with further details.

Friday 16 November 2012

A MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICIAL RECEIVER

The Official Receiver's Office has asked us to publish the following message:-

"Update to creditors concerning the bankruptcies of Liam James Collins (Newcastle Upon Tyne County Court No. 1517 of 2011) and David James Robert Bone (Wigan County Court No. 100 of 2012).
 
"Please be aware that enquiries in these matters are now being conducted by the Official Receiver’s Public Interest Unit (PIU) North, 2nd Floor, 3 Piccadilly Place, London Road, Manchester M1 3BN.

"Email:  PIU.North@insolvency.gsi.gov.uk

"Any previous correspondence forwarded by creditors to the Official Receiver’s in Liverpool has also been transferred to PIU.

"It is the Official Receiver’s intention to contact all creditors shortly requesting further information to assist the ongoing enquiries.

"The continuing assistance of creditors in these matters is greatly appreciated."



Thursday 15 November 2012

WHAT THIS BLOG HAS ACHIEVED SO FAR

This is a necessarily brief summary of what has been achieved so far. A year has now passed since we started this weblog and we are glad to note that real progress is at last being made in the official scrutiny of Coboco's financial affairs. 

Achieved: the bankruptcies of both Liam Collins and David Bone Jr - a difficult, time-consuming and expensive task. But done.

Achieved: CoBo are blocked from being able to draw further investment from unsuspecting people on the basis of the imaginary purchase and ownership of properties. 

Achieved: CoBo are blocked from receiving rent money from the houses on which they had mortgages

Achieved: CoBo's accounts and entire financial background are being thoroughly examined with a view to their complete public accountability.

Achieved: the winding up of Coboco's companies Castle & Gatehouse and Novocastria Developments.

Achieved: a way for students, investors and creditors of Coboco to be in touch with one another and to be able to see the way forward in obtaining justice.