A director of Brabco, the company which owns a majority shareholding of Dumbarton Football Club, was taken to court by HMRC and paid an out of court settlement writes Kyle Crawford and Adam Thomas.

A Reporter investigation has revealed that Christopher Stainton was due to appear in Bankruptcy Court in London on March 8, but the case wasn’t heard with Mr Stainton telling the Reporter he had been in negotiations with HMRC and had eventually paid them money he owed.

Mr Stainton told the Reporter: “I was in negotiations with HMRC and I have paid HMRC some money that I owed them so the hearing didn’t take place. I’ve got financial proof that was the case.”

The amount Mr Stainton paid to HMRC is unknown. HM Courts and Tribunals Service state that the Rolls Building Bankruptcy Court where the case was due to be heard: “Handles petitions to bankrupt individuals living in London where a creditor has made the petition and is owed £50,000 or more.

“Other petitions that we handle include: Those brought by creditors where the debtor has no fixed abode. Applications by undischarged bankrupts for permission to act as a company director or applications to set aside statutory demands where the debt is £50,000 or more.”

An HMRC spokesperson said: “HMRC does not comment on the tax affairs of individual taxpayers. Our aim is to efficiently collect monies and debts due, using the range of powers available to us.”

Ian Wilson, a Brabco representative and Dumbarton FC director, was found to be a member of an “aggressive” tax avoidance scheme following a Reporter investigation last year.

Mr Wilson pledged two weeks ago to end Brabco’s offshore ownership after concerns were raised over a lack of transparency from the club over a proposed £13.5m stadium move.