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New Heighway Owner

if any of the heighway team want a right to reply I'm happy to host them on my Twitch channel with a Skype video or just audio. Let me know.

Neil.
 
Neil McRae said:
nuts. just totally nuts.
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Oh, it gets better than *that*. When we moved to Wales, I was supposed to live in the annex to that big Cwrt Llechryd house, as it was a different address and thus I could continue to claim my benefits until the business was up and going and able to pay wages. It was only once we got there that it became apparent The annex was completely unfurnished, had no utilities and was basically an uninhabitable storage space. Andrew was quick to blame the landlord for not showing him, even though Andrew had been in the house for a while before. And another thing it was clear before long that he hadn't done his homework with was grants from the Welsh government, that he expected to fall into his lap.

The upshot on this was that for the first sixteen months, I had my own room in the main house. But since he was setting up and running a business from there, I couldn't claim the benefits as planned and had virtually nothing to live on. Not only was this one more thing Andrew has never taken responsibility for, but he tried repeatedly to get me to claim as though I was living in the annex anyway - essentially, commit fraud, which anyone turning up to check the place would rumble in five seconds - and refused to get any of his own personal details involved. I refused to do that, but He always saw me as having to take some of the 'risk' in ways like this, even though it was his company.

Oh, and there was the time he badgered me into borrowing a grand from my sick Dad to pay my 'share' of the council tax, since I was in the same house. And the times, once we'd moved out and I had a place and benefits again, when he would borrow money to keep his shows going, at a point where it was impossible to say 'no' because they'd have gone tits-up if I hadn't.

You see where I'm coming from now, I trust?
 
Eala Dubh Sidhe said:
Oh, it gets better than *that*. When we moved to Wales, I was supposed to live in the annex to that big Cwrt Llechryd house, as it was a different address and thus I could continue to claim my benefits until the business was up and going and able to pay wages. It was only once we got there that it became apparent The annex was completely unfurnished, had no utilities and was basically an uninhabitable storage space. Andrew was quick to blame the landlord for not showing him, even though Andrew had been in the house for a while before. And another thing it was clear before long that he hadn't done his homework with was grants from the Welsh government, that he expected to fall into his lap.

The upshot on this was that for the first sixteen months, I had my own room in the main house. But since he was setting up and running a business from there, I couldn't claim the benefits as planned and had virtually nothing to live on. Not only was this one more thing Andrew has never taken responsibility for, but he tried repeatedly to get me to claim as though I was living in the annex anyway - essentially, commit fraud, which anyone turning up to check the place would rumble in five seconds - and refused to get any of his own personal details involved. I refused to do that, but He always saw me as having to take some of the 'risk' in ways like this, even though it was his company.

Oh, and there was the time he badgered me into borrowing a grand from my sick Dad to pay my 'share' of the council tax, since I was in the same house. And the times, once we'd moved out and I had a place and benefits again, when he would borrow money to keep his shows going, at a point where it was impossible to say 'no' because they'd have gone tits-up if I hadn't.

You see where I'm coming from now, I trust?
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I think I'm speaking for us all when I say............ F@CK ME !!!!!

This is very very bad [emoji853]

Sent from my D5833 using Tapatalk
 
Sgt GrizZ said:
I think I'm speaking for us all when I say............ F@CK ME !!!!!

This is very very bad [emoji853]

Sent from my D5833 using Tapatalk
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It's far from unusual unfortunately. It's very easy to take advantage of creative people. From the "Just do this one job for free, it'll be great for your portfolio/CV, and I'll definitely pay you for the next one"...to this whole sorry situation basically. Seen it a million times. Guy who lives accross the road from my parents is always going bankrupt, yet he has two Range Rovers, an Aston Martin, a couple of HiLux's, Mini Cooper and a BMW 3 series convertible on his driveway. What the F?
 
Eala Dubh Sidhe said:
Oh, it gets better than *that*. When we moved to Wales, I was supposed to live in the annex to that big Cwrt Llechryd house, as it was a different address and thus I could continue to claim my benefits until the business was up and going and able to pay wages. It was only once we got there that it became apparent The annex was completely unfurnished, had no utilities and was basically an uninhabitable storage space. Andrew was quick to blame the landlord for not showing him, even though Andrew had been in the house for a while before. And another thing it was clear before long that he hadn't done his homework with was grants from the Welsh government, that he expected to fall into his lap.

The upshot on this was that for the first sixteen months, I had my own room in the main house. But since he was setting up and running a business from there, I couldn't claim the benefits as planned and had virtually nothing to live on. Not only was this one more thing Andrew has never taken responsibility for, but he tried repeatedly to get me to claim as though I was living in the annex anyway - essentially, commit fraud, which anyone turning up to check the place would rumble in five seconds - and refused to get any of his own personal details involved. I refused to do that, but He always saw me as having to take some of the 'risk' in ways like this, even though it was his company.

Oh, and there was the time he badgered me into borrowing a grand from my sick Dad to pay my 'share' of the council tax, since I was in the same house. And the times, once we'd moved out and I had a place and benefits again, when he would borrow money to keep his shows going, at a point where it was impossible to say 'no' because they'd have gone tits-up if I hadn't.

You see where I'm coming from now, I trust?
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Jesus Christ. Something should be done about this. Really. This is far worse then I ever imagined. :(:(:(
 
RobZombie said:
I do see your point but I think you need to come to terms with the fact that the money is gone. Your chances of getting that money that's already gone is zero unfortunately. HMRC aren't going to be fighting for anything other than what they're owed. They don't care about excuses. At best case scenario you as an employee are absolutely last in the queue of creditors owed money (after the lawyers). I've been through two redundancies. Honestly you won't get any money other than what the government will give you as a bare minimum, which is peanuts. If you're a home owner you're screwed. If you rent they will pay that for you. Go figure.
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Then I'm going to be perfectly straightforward... on the Friday the liquidator came to start valuing the place, I was openly speculating that I needed a miracle, and if I didn't get one they'd probably be kicking my door down in a couple of weeks to find me with my head in the oven. Income support was cut off at the worst possible time, right before Christmas, in order to shove me onto ESA instead which, given that I was involved in this to try to get off benefits anyway, there's no credible way I'll ever qualify for and no word yet on any decision. I can't 'move forward' if I literally don't have the means yet to do that *with*... I had to postpone a dental appointment the other day when I got there, since no income support meant I no longer qualified for a free checkup, and couldn't afford to pay it.
 
Dave, have you thought about a no win, no fee lawyer? Having had the displeasure of being forced by one to pay someone off over a death intestate challenge, because it was cheaper that hiring my own lawyer in court, I hate the idea. But it might be right for you.

I'm not sure who you'd take action against, but that's for the lawyer to work out.
 
Eala Dubh Sidhe said:
Then I'm going to be perfectly straightforward... on the Friday the liquidator came to start valuing the place, I was openly speculating that I needed a miracle, and if I didn't get one they'd probably be kicking my door down in a couple of weeks to find me with my head in the oven. Income support was cut off at the worst possible time, right before Christmas, in order to shove me onto ESA instead which, given that I was involved in this to try to get off benefits anyway, there's no credible way I'll ever qualify for and no word yet on any decision. I can't 'move forward' if I literally don't have the means yet to do that *with*.
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Sometimes we don't have a choice in moving forward. In late November 2012 I was made redundant. We had just had our 1st kid a couple of months earlier. I had just signed up to a 5 year finance deal on a car, almost no money in the bank and we had a house and mortgage. Honestly, it was the hardest few weeks of my life. There were no xmas presents for anyone that year. But you do what you have to do to survive. I ended up taking a job in Sweden about 2 days before xmas and moved away from my wife and kid in order to pay the bills. It certainly wasn't what any of us wanted or planned but it turned out ok and today I'm back in the UK and earn more than tripple what I did in 2012. Out of the 160 people that got made redundant that day I don't know of anyone who isn't in a better situation now. So, like I said earlier, your best bet long term would be to cut out the risk of working for others. You can do the artwork. You can do the design. So learn UE4 or Unity, it's not difficult and the returns are unlimited. And if you have to get a job in a supermarket to fund it then do that. I work 18 hours a day mostly.
 
Eala Dubh Sidhe said:
Wouldn't the fact that I was clearly taken advantage of in a criminal way make a difference?
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No. Very unlikely. Especially if he's no longer in the country. Even if he were in the country have you actually seen the state of the UK judiciary system? Focus on yourself and your next adventures.
 
Anyone else reading all the different forum posts are thinking this was set up from day one as a Ponzi scheme?

Remember when they first announced the pinballs the US price was cheaper than the UK and European prices? I am pretty sure I know why that was now. Pre-order money from as far away as possible.

Guy needs to go to prison for fraud.
 
RobZombie said:
No. Very unlikely. Especially if he's no longer in the country. Even if he were in the country have you actually seen the state of the UK judiciary system? Focus on yourself and your next adventures.
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I literally can't, while this level of sheer omnipresent panic is hanging over me through everything that's been going on with my life. Not just Andrew or the company, but *everything*, and the anxiety has only got worse and worse over a very long period of time, without any concrete help.

I was hoping to be able to keep my head down and let the two parties involved legally duke it out to the inevitable conclusion, but the last straw that finally got me to speak up was that after the liquidation was leaked, Andrew - who was ****ed off I hadn't been forthcoming with him about it - rang me up the next day or so with the finance company on his back. He was furiously demanding to know where all the pinballs had gone; he was looking for any reason to go after the Scandinavians for 'theft', wanting to know if and where anything else from the unit would be stored, certain that I was going to tell him since other belongings of mine would be in the same place, and threatening to get the police involved if he felt I was covering up or complicit in any wrongdoing. In that instant, I realised he'd just given me a snapshot of what the next six months would hold if I didn't put a halt to it right then and there. And now he's messaged me, I guess after what everyone tipped off to the TWIP article, saying we should meet tomorrow because "throwing him publicly under the bus isn't doing anyone any favours".

It doesn't matter if this was his intention or not, but the fact is I'm absolutely terrified.
 
Eala Dubh Sidhe said:
I literally can't, while this level of sheer omnipresent panic is hanging over me through everything that's been going on with my life. Not just Andrew or the company, but *everything*, and the anxiety has only got worse and worse over a very long period of time, without any concrete help.

I was hoping to be able to keep my head down and let the two parties involved legally duke it out to the inevitable conclusion, but the last straw that finally got me to speak up was that after the liquidation was leaked, Andrew - who was ****ed off I hadn't been forthcoming with him about it - rang me up the next day or so with the finance company on his back. He was furiously demanding to know where all the pinballs had gone; he was looking for any reason to go after the Scandinavians for 'theft', wanting to know if and where anything else from the unit would be stored, certain that I was going to tell him since other belongings of mine would be in the same place, and threatening to get the police involved if he felt I was covering up or complicit in any wrongdoing. In that instant, I realised he'd just given me a snapshot of what the next six months would hold if I didn't put a halt to it right then and there. And now he's messaged me, I guess after what everyone tipped off to the TWIP article, saying we should meet tomorrow because "throwing him publicly under the bus isn't doing anyone any favours".

It doesn't matter if this was his intention or not, but the fact is I'm absolutely terrified.
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Hey dude

First of all I presume he's in the UK as he wants to meet tomorrow?

Secondly - he's taking advantage of you dude. Looks like he used every worry or weakness you had/have and manipulated you. I am so sorry for what you have gone through.
 
He's still in the Merthyr area. I don't intend to do anything before we see what his rebuttal via PN is going to be. Probably best not to have anyone else directly involved either.
 
Eala Dubh Sidhe said:
You're not seeing the point. Altogether I've been diddled to the tune of a six-figure sum based on what I was promised to come on board at the very start and help get his show on the road, and like **** am I going to let that slide if, as I expect him to, he uses my Aspergers as a justification, explaining it as he's tried to in the past as a form of 'therapy' by giving me a 'hobby'. He did that with the HMRC the moment they started getting on his case, and immediately got me on the phone to pressure me into backing him up, because 'we' - not himself, he always said 'we' - would get into serious trouble. And NOBODY up and moves to a company being set up in another part of the country for the sake of a 'hobby'.

In this case 'not ending well' means 'forcing me to reveal where the bodies are buried'.
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As someone with a little brother with autism - this bolded part made me physically angry.

Not only does anyone blame you for your good work with the games - I personally wouldn't blame you if you jumped straight to playing what you have in your hand over him out of pure karma.

I hope the course of things changes for you, for the much better my friend. You obviously have talents.
 
Eala Dubh Sidhe said:
I literally can't, while this level of sheer omnipresent panic is hanging over me through everything that's been going on with my life. Not just Andrew or the company, but *everything*, and the anxiety has only got worse and worse over a very long period of time, without any concrete help.

I was hoping to be able to keep my head down and let the two parties involved legally duke it out to the inevitable conclusion, but the last straw that finally got me to speak up was that after the liquidation was leaked, Andrew - who was ****ed off I hadn't been forthcoming with him about it - rang me up the next day or so with the finance company on his back. He was furiously demanding to know where all the pinballs had gone; he was looking for any reason to go after the Scandinavians for 'theft', wanting to know if and where anything else from the unit would be stored, certain that I was going to tell him since other belongings of mine would be in the same place, and threatening to get the police involved if he felt I was covering up or complicit in any wrongdoing. In that instant, I realised he'd just given me a snapshot of what the next six months would hold if I didn't put a halt to it right then and there. And now he's messaged me, I guess after what everyone tipped off to the TWIP article, saying we should meet tomorrow because "throwing him publicly under the bus isn't doing anyone any favours".

It doesn't matter if this was his intention or not, but the fact is I'm absolutely terrified.
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Do not meet with him

He is an abuser. It is very emotionally hard to deal with abusers on any terms, not only their own terms, and you've told us you're in a dark place right now.

Only bad things will happen. Either you may do something that will make your position worse, or he will manipulate you further.
 
Hi all.

Have stayed purposely quiet on this topic until now, however need to interject here.

As emotive as the topic is, people should NOT post numbers as well as anything that cannot be legally backed up in this thread - this is for the protection of both individuals as well as the forum. Remember - this ain’t Pinside!! ;)

We have had to moderate a few times over the last 24 hours to remove some of these, and if it continues then I will have no issue with closing the thread.

This is NOT pointed at any individuals at all - just a friendly reminder.

Many thanks
 
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Where does this all end? I may as well offer my take;

Captain Birdseye got ripped off playing pinball in the 80's, holds a grudge for years and swore bloody revenge ever since. Has a fruitful career selling frozen crap to everyone, but never forgets that Gorgar on Brighton pier that electrocuted him and left him unable to father children. Years later, finds that there's a sh*t ton of mugs willing to pony up hard earned cash for the promise of a new pin whilst browsing the internet and decides that now is the time to act upon the realization of his true dream to drive some Ozzy politicians to the bottom of the ocean in a fancy boat with wings. Starts by selling his soul to a demon on facebook who happened to be a Nigerian prince in command of a great fortune. Ends by making a youtube vid where he rips off a latex mask to reveal, he's actually Kevin Kulek, then ripping that off to reveal he's Jpop, then again to show he was Jersey Jack all along! (with lots of hand rubbing and cackling....., obviously) Fades out to a nuclear explosion that's real and we all die in a hail of Hobbit LE meteorites and severed puppy heads.

I say this in jest of course. I know how it feels to get ripped off in pinball. I hope Karma is real and that it has its will in the end.
 
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This is totally disgusting

If I had dropped 8k on a pin and never received it let’s just say the seller would be found (wherever he was) and the refund extracted by any means
 
Eala Dubh Sidhe said:
I literally can't, while this level of sheer omnipresent panic is hanging over me through everything that's been going on with my life. Not just Andrew or the company, but *everything*, and the anxiety has only got worse and worse over a very long period of time, without any concrete help.

I was hoping to be able to keep my head down and let the two parties involved legally duke it out to the inevitable conclusion, but the last straw that finally got me to speak up was that after the liquidation was leaked, Andrew - who was ****ed off I hadn't been forthcoming with him about it - rang me up the next day or so with the finance company on his back. He was furiously demanding to know where all the pinballs had gone; he was looking for any reason to go after the Scandinavians for 'theft', wanting to know if and where anything else from the unit would be stored, certain that I was going to tell him since other belongings of mine would be in the same place, and threatening to get the police involved if he felt I was covering up or complicit in any wrongdoing. In that instant, I realised he'd just given me a snapshot of what the next six months would hold if I didn't put a halt to it right then and there. And now he's messaged me, I guess after what everyone tipped off to the TWIP article, saying we should meet tomorrow because "throwing him publicly under the bus isn't doing anyone any favours".

It doesn't matter if this was his intention or not, but the fact is I'm absolutely terrified.
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You have absolutely nothing to be worried about. He has no intention of calling the police, and there is nothing for them to look at. If he left some goods in the factory when he left that belonged to a finance company, for which he gave a personal guarantee (hence whey they are now chasing him, not the company), then his only recourse is to the company and it's new Directors.

Also - you had no reason to tell him about the liquidation indeed you were most likely obliged to not say anything to any outsider at the time - it's nothing to do with him, he sold out and resigned as a Director and employee some time ago. Absolutely nothing to do with him. He has no rights to any privileged information regarding the company. Again he should be talking to the current Owners and current Directors, if he has any ongoing issues.

PBrookfield said:
Do not meet with him

He is an abuser. It is very emotionally hard to deal with abusers on any terms, not only their own terms, and you've told us you're in a dark place right now.

Only bad things will happen. Either you may do something that will make your position worse, or he will manipulate you further.
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I agree - do not meet, it is best to break off all direct communications.
 
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