Former football agent Wille McKay has been cleared of fraud. Prosecutors alleged McKay spent the money to stop it being “swallowed up” in bankruptcy proceedings. It was claimed he bought the gifts despite being served with a bankruptcy petition due to unpaid taxes of around £902,000.
However, a jury at Leeds Crown Court found Mr McKay not guilty of two counts of fraudulent disposal of property.
During the trial the court heard that in June 2014 HM Revenue and Customs issued the 62-year-old with a statutory demand for tax arrears in the sum of £902,128.
When he did not make any payment a bankruptcy petition was personally served on him in September the same year. Prosecutor Andrew Edwards said that despite the petition McKay bought his wife Janis a £9,100 Rolex watch and a £54,000 Jaguar car in December 2014.
However, McKay told the court he genuinely believed he would be able to pay off his debts before his bankruptcy hearing, using commissions that were owed to him, and did not intend to defraud his creditors when he bought the gifts. McKay was made bankrupt in 2015 and later signed a bankruptcy restrictions undertaking that will continue until August 2023, the jury was told.
Willie McKay was once the agent of choice at West Ham occupying a position now held by Will Salthouse. Willie’s son Mark McKay has also had regular dealing with the club under David Sullivan’s reign and was instrumental in bringing Dimitri Payet to the club.