Former footballer facing bankruptcy over £2k council tax debt
29 October 2010
A former footballer has been threatened with bankruptcy proceedings over non-payment of a £2,281 council tax bill.
Former Dundee United Striker, Noel Hunt, has been warned that his home and wages could be seized if he does not pay the debt by today, according to a report in Scottish newspaper, the Daily Record.
26 year-old Hunt, who now plays for English Championship side Reading, has allegedly been pursued for a number of months by Perth and Kinross Council over the debt.
Now a warrant has been issued against the footballer, and he has been warned that his possessions could be seized and auctioned off if he fails to pay the bill.
Hunt also faces being made bankrupt if he fails to pay by the 27th of October 2010, with bailiffs set to clear out his ‘modern villa' style property in Perthshire.
The footballer earned a £600,000 move to Reading in 2008, but that same year was taken to court for another failure to pay bills.
Surveyors J & E Shepherd sued the star after he failed to cough up £350 for a survey on his newly-built, £230,000 Perthshire villa.
This is not Hunt's only run-in with the law; earlier in 2008 he appeared at Dundee District Court, admitting to twice using his mobile phone while driving.
The case attracted controversy after he tried to have reporters excluded from the court, with his solicitor, Kevin Hampton, saying: "There was a very good personal reason for using the telephone on both occasions. It was a very serious matter.
"There is certain information Mr Hunt has given me that he does not wish to be made known in a public court."
He was eventually fined £120 and had six penalty points put on his licence.
A source told the Daily Record that the embattled footballer has adopted the ‘head in the sand' approach to his debts, refusing to seek debt advice or help.
"Hunt seems to have buried his head in the sand because it is not as if he has been back to the court to dispute the figure," the source said.
"Maybe he just hopes it will go away, but it's too far down the line for that."
In papers displayed at Perth Sheriff Court, the council describe Hunt as being "present whereabouts unknown".
