Former England and Liverpool footballer John Barnes banned as company director over unpaid £190k tax

Former England and Liverpool footballer star John Barnes has been banned as a director due to his company's failure to settle over £190,000 in corporation tax and VAT. Barnes, 60, has agreed to a three-and-a-half-year ban on serving as a company director, according to the Insolvency Service.

His company, John Barnes Media Limited, did not pay the owed corporation tax and VAT from 2018 to 2020. When it ceased operations, HM Revenue and Customs was the only known creditor.

The Insolvency Service initiated an investigation into Barnes' actions as the sole director of the company, based in West Byfleet, Surrey, offering media representation services.

From November 2018 to October 2020, John Barnes Media had a turnover of £441,798, yet it didn't remit any tax to HMRC during this period, despite filing returns indicating the VAT obligations.

The investigation revealed that between August 2018 and January 2020, the company owed £78,839 in corporation tax, and between February 2019 and 2020, it owed £115,272 in VAT.

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”.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from Mr Barnes and his ban started on Wednesday (April 24). It prevents him from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company without the permission of the court.