An Eastbourne man whose building firm collapsed with £145,000 debts has been banned from holding a directorship for more than three years.

Peter Phillips, of Great Cliffe Road, built up thousands of pounds of debt knowing that his firm, Charter Building Contractors Ltd, could not pay.

The company, based in St Anthony's Avenue, Eastbourne, went into liquidation on November 22, 2001, with debts of £145,032 owed to creditors.

Mr Phillips has accepted an undertaking banning him from being a company director or taking part in company management for three-and-a-half years.