HMRC Files Bankruptcy Petition Against Jamie Carragher

HM Revenue and Customs has filed a bankruptcy petition against former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher over an unpaid tax bill, according to BBC Sport and The Guardian. Court documents reviewed by the BBC show that the case was filed on Wednesday against James Lee Duncan Carragher. The filing does not mean Carragher has been declared bankrupt.

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BBC Sport reported that the sum is said to be between £700,000 and £800,000. The Guardian said court records showed HMRC issued the petition on Wednesday afternoon, while noting that no further case details were available. The matter is being handled by the Insolvency and Companies Court, a specialist court within the High Court that deals with bankruptcy petitions.

A spokesperson for Carragher told BBC Sport that the private tax matter should have been resolved earlier and that steps were being taken to settle it. The representative said it was understood that the case would go no further and would be resolved imminently. That position remains a statement from Carragher's side rather than a reported court determination.

HMRC declined to discuss the individual case. In a general statement reported by both outlets, the tax authority said it seeks to support customers with tax debts, including through instalment arrangements for those who engage with it. HMRC added that it petitions for bankruptcy only as a last resort.

Carragher spent his entire senior playing career at Liverpool, representing the club from 1996 until his retirement in 2013. He made 737 appearances and was part of the team that won the Champions League in 2005. He also played for England before moving into broadcasting after his playing career.

The 48-year-old now appears regularly on Sky Sports' Premier League coverage and CBS Sports' Champions League programming, as well as the Stick to Football show. The petition places his tax affairs before a specialist court, but the next step remains uncertain in light of his spokesperson's assertion that the bill is being settled. Neither the BBC nor The Guardian reported that a bankruptcy order had been made.