What does the Emile Heskey case teach costs lawyers about battles with HMRC?

22 July 2024 / Francis Kendall

Issue: 4946 / Categories: Comment & Analysis , football , HMRC , Admin , Investments

An important lesson

The recent costs ruling against former England international footballer Emile Heskey in his long-running tax battle with HMRC typifies the challenges for lawyers representing clients being pursued by the tax authority. Last month Heskey who played for Liverpool Leicester City and Aston Villa was ordered to pay legal costs totalling £194 795 by specialist costs judge Mark Whalan at a High Court hearing. This emerged following a lengthy and complex legal action against Heskey by HMRC in relation to an unpaid tax bill of £1.637m which started in 2017.

Proceedings were launched against him over 15 penalty notices that were issued from 2005 onwards. A High Court trial scheduled for November 2019 was averted however after he admitted liability for the outstanding debt.

Heskey had been involved with a celebrity investment scheme run by a financing company which backed film productions into...

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