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The 79-times England international John Barnes signed agreement that bars him from being a director of a company for three-and-a-half years following investigation by the Insolvency Service over unpaid tax

 

john barnes

( Image: PA)

Former Liverpool star John Barnes has been banned as a company director for three-and-a-half years after his media firm failed to pay £190,000 in VAT and corporation tax.

 

The John Barnes Media Limited company went into liquidation in 2023 and an investigation by the Insolvency Service found that no tax was paid to HM Revenue and Customs between November 2018 and October 2020.

 

During that time the company’s turnover was £441,798 and the company filing returns outlined what VAT payments should have been made.

 

An investigation by the Insolvency Service, which began in September 2023, found that the company failed to pay £78839 in corporation tax between August 2018 and January 2020 and also failed to pay £115,272 in VAT between February 2019 and 2020.

 

An Insolvency Service statement read: “The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from Barnes, and his ban started on Wednesday 24 April.

 

“It prevents him from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.”

 

Last year a bankruptcy petition lodged by HMRC against Barnes was dismissed.

 

Barrister Nathan Webb, representing Barnes, told the court at a hearing in September that his client was employed by Liverpool Football Club “on a salary of £200,000” and was “very well and able to pay” the money owed. He has been a club ambassador for several years.

 

Barnes, who was capped 79 times by England and also played for Watford and Newcastle, formed John Barnes Media Limited in September 2012 and he was the company’s sole director.

 

Mike Smith, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: “Individuals and businesses not paying the tax they should deprives the government of the funding it needs to provide vital public services and investment in areas such as schools, hospitals and roads.

 

“John Barnes had a legal duty to ensure his company paid the correct amount of corporation tax and VAT. Instead, it paid no tax whatsoever between November 2018 and October 2020, despite receiving earnings of well over £400,000.

 

“This disqualification should serve as a deterrent to other directors that if you do not pay your taxes while directing money elsewhere, you are at risk of being banned.”