Avocet forum users accused of 'sexual and racial invective'

by DOUGLAS SHEPHERD

The Avocet shareholders' forum which has been receiving record numbers of mainly adverse comments about the business in recent weeks is the subject of a blistering onslaught from the Group's controversial chairman Martin Frost.

Today's shareholder letter to 650 Avocet investors also warns of possible extradition to the United States for those who divulge information about the company's intellectual property and even Mr Frost's voluminous correspondence to outsiders.

The searing attack on the forum, a platform for widespread dissent over Avocet's lack of progress in delivering promised tens of millions of revenue from a 'wonder' fuel capable of replacing petrol and diesel coincides with a recent post claiming to show how Avocet's directors have, between them, taken six figure sums from the business without any return for investors.

A copy of the post's text which was forwarded to Not Just Sheep & Rugby is apparently based on an analysis of company accounts, many of which are long overdue in breach of Companies House regulations.

In a previous shareholder letter on Thursday Mr Frost accused Avocet's detractors of not believing in "Avocet Natural Capital PLC's humanitarian objectives".

But the forum post states: "For the last six years, Avocet shareholders have been supporting a significant humanitarian effort. Through their investments, they have been able to financially support both the Jennings [Dr Bob Jennings is an Avocet director] and the Frost families over all of those years, and support them quite handsomely. And since Avocet Infinite/NC earned virtually no income over the period, this cost was borne entirely by the shareholders".

According to the post, between 2015 and 2017 just over £3 million was paid out in directors' fees, 'unpaid salaries' and other transactions involving other companies controlled by Avocet management..

The assessment concludes: "If both the payment of Directors' fees and the claims for salary have continued through the 2018 and 2019 fiscal years at the same rate, then as at the end of 2019 the total received/claimed would be £4,675,900, excluding any additional non-arms length transactions with the Directors, and/or their associated companies.

"This, in my view, was a very significant humanitarian undertaking by the shareholders, especially given that over that time the shareholders received absolutely no financial return on their investment."

In today's missive Mr Frost again refers to Avocet's Non Disclosure Agreements or NDAs which he asserts have been breached by 'delinquent' shareholders who will be 'expelled' from the company in November.

Now he writes: "For a shareholder, an Avocet consultant or employee (past or present), a contractor, creditor, or adviser to breach Avocet’s secrecy is like one stealing a brick from a physical property or a secret recipe from a distiller. It can be subject to both US civil and criminal prosecution. 

"Not less so, as much of Avocet’s intellectual property and know-how originates in the US State of Delaware which espouses strong intellectual property law which can involve extradition to the US and US custodial sentences. 

"Avocet is an international business, and as many recipients are aware, this email originates from Pennsylvania which like Delaware fortifies intellectual property law even in the United Arab Emirates. So, note: if some Avocet shareholders (possibly for their own personal gain) hold to the view that Avocet confidentiality does not apply to them, they, like Mr. Chisholm [proprietor of this blog], are wrong."

In a bizarre and vitriolic attack on those of his own shareholders who are members of the Avocet forum Mr Frost declares: "From what I am advised, many of the purported Avocet Shareholders Forum participants have hit new lows of personal and now sexual and racial invective. As rabid dogs they appear to compete to become ever more ravenous.

"The origination of many scurrilous and untrue emails including those found on social media can be traced back to Mrs. Aileen Orr. Echoes of such resurgent white nationalism now being found on accompanying weblogs are hateful. My mother was Irish, so obviously I find anti-Irish racial views abhorrent: equally, the white supremist views expressed by some Forum members against Avocet’s desire to assist the developing world I find extremely ugly.

"I am flabbergasted by the racial and barnacle sexual views expressed by some Avocet shareholders who support the renegade Avocet Shareholders Forum. These renegade Avocet Shareholders Forum participants who expound their base beliefs into new-found lows of pseudo-scientific racism must be stopped – consequently Avocet has made new complaints to the authorities."