John Barnes, the former England and Liverpool footballer, has been banned as a company director after his business failed to pay tens of thousands of pounds in tax.
John Barnes Media Limited failed to pay more than £190,000 in corporation tax and VAT between 2018 and 2020, it was revealed following an investigation by the Insolvency Service. HMRC was the firm’s only known creditor when it ceased trading.
As a result Barnes, whose business address is Park Court, Pyrford Road, West Byfleet, Surrey, has signed a disqualification undertaking banning him from being a company director for the next three-and-a-half years.
John Barnes ban “should serve as a deterrent”
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.”
John Barnes Media Limited was established in September 2012 and described itself as offering media representation services.
The firm’s only director was Barnes, who earned 79 England caps during a professional playing career spanning almost two decades.
Investigation launched last year
According to the Insolvency Service, John Barnes Media’s turnover was £441,798 between November 2018 and October 2020.
Nothing was paid to HMRC in tax during that period, despite the company filing returns showing what the VAT payments should have been.
The Insolvency Service’s investigation showed that John Barnes Media failed to pay £78,839 in corporation tax between August 2018 and January 2020, when the company ceased trading. The business also failed to pay £115,272 in VAT between February 2019 and 2020.
Insolvency Service investigations into Barnes’ conduct as a director began in September 2023.
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from 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.