The boss of a furniture store which went bust owing customers money appeared in court yesterday charged with dodging pension payments.

Robert Dwinnell, a director of Rooms for You, was charged with deducting pension payments from an employee but failing to pay them to the National Pension Fund, and also of not paying the employer's contribution of the pension.

Dwinnell, 49, of North Shore Road, Pembroke, was charged with the offences at Magistrates' Court as a director of Galleria Ltd.

Crown counsel Oonagh Vaucrosson told Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves that this was a "hybrid matter" and asked that it be adjourned until April because "investigations are still pending into this matter".

Saul Froomkin is acting as defence lawyer for Dwinnell, who denied the charges.

He said he had asked for the particulars of the alleged offences and was told by Crown counsel Anthony Blackman that he would like a two month adjournment.

Dwinnell is charged with deducting monies from Roseann Wales between May 1, 2002 and March 26, 2003, which were not paid into the pension fund.

Ms Vaucrosson said, for the record, she wanted it noted that Dwinnell had given an undertaking he would be on the Island for the case.

Mr. Greaves said Dwinnell did not have to give an undertaking to be in the jurisdiction because it was an order of the court.

Mr. Froomkin said his client, who was bailed until March 10 on $1,000 bail, gave an undertaking to be in the jurisdiction for the hearing.

Rooms for You, which was based on Mill Creek, Pembroke, and whose directors were Dwinnell and his wife Jennifer, closed up in September last year and went into voluntary liquidation.

Last November, Dwinnell said the matter was in the hands of liquidators KPMG and he could not comment on it.

He also refused to comment about the company after the Magistrates' hearing yesterday.

Liquidator Malcolm Butterfield of KPMG has declined to comment on the case.