Jamie Carragher faces bankruptcy over ‘£700,000 tax debt’

Jamie Carragher, Liverpool legend and football pundit, has been petitioned over alleged unpaid taxes and could be declared bankrupt if found guilty.

According to the BBC, Carragher was petitioned by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and the case was filed in court on Wednesday.

The alleged unpaid tax bill is said to be in the region of £700,000 to £800,000.

Jamie Carragher, a defender, retired from football in May 2013 and began full-time punditry in July of the same year with Sky Sports, where he continues to date. The 48-year-old is also a pundit for CBS Sports, an American sports broadcaster, where he analyses UEFA Champions League matches.

Carragher’s alleged tax issue has come as a surprise, and an HMRC spokesperson said the body uses a supportive approach to engage people with tax-related debt to pay in instalments. It also added that it approaches the court and files for tax evaders to be declared bankrupt as a last resort.

“We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and do everything we can to help those who engage with us to get out of debt, such as offering instalment plans,” the spokesperson said.

“We only petition for bankruptcy as a last resort.”

A spokesperson for Carragher said the football pundit is taking appropriate steps to quickly resolve the “private tax matter” without being declared bankrupt.

“This is a private tax matter that should have been resolved sooner, and the appropriate steps are being taken today to settle it. It is understood that the matter will not proceed any further and will be resolved imminently,” the spokesperson said.

Carragher could be the latest of a long line of former English footballers who have been declared bankrupt for unpaid taxes, including Lee Hendrie, David James, Wes Brown, Trevor Sinclair, and John Barnes, another Liverpool legend. (TheCable)