Dundee charity champion Charlie Kean fears he may be forced to give up his work for needy children over a battle with the taxman.
The former Dundee citizen of the year is defending a sequestration action brought at the city’s sheriff court by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
His solicitor Kenneth Glass said his client had made an interim payment of £35,000 by debit card in a bid to clear his debt.
He added that the sum represented the lion’s share of the total sum owed but that Mr Kean hoped to be in a position to make another substantial payment in the near future.
Mr Kean was not in court and Sheriff Alastair Brown first adjourned the case to confirm the £35,000 had been paid.
Confirmation was later received and the sheriff continued the case for four weeks for settlement.
Mr Glass said the problem stemmed from the late payment of bills to Mr Kean’s company Kean 2 Slaters.
There had been a delay in the receipt of two large cheques for work carried out, although the court heard one of them had arrived this week, leaving Mr Kean in a position to begin paying the sum owed to HMRC.
Concerns were raised that the case could have “severe implications” for Mr Kean’s charity which has delivered treats and gifts to sick and underprivileged children in Dundee for 20 years.
And in a message posted on Facebook following the court hearing, Mr Kean confirmed he was giving up his charity work.
He said: “Here is the truth, we did a job and couldn’t get paid a lot of money, so I have been working hard and we have paid this.
“What they have done to me for (the) fourth time is ruin my credibility, ruin my charity and ruin my life, all I wanted to do is help people and make them happy but now it’s all over.”
Mr Kean added that he would now cease organising his Christmas show, toy appeal and other events.
The sequestration action is the latest in a series of controversies faced by the roofing contractor.
For three consecutive years he was late in submitting his charity’s accounts to the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator.
His case was sent to OSCR’s compliance team who chose to give him more time and he did belatedly send his accounts which were approved.
Earlier this year he was sued by a group of residents in Molison Street, Dundee, for faulty roof repairs.
Mr Kean did not attend five separate callings of the small claims action at the sheriff court and his solicitors withdrew their representation.
The eight householders had decree granted for £3,200 and sheriff officers were appointed to recover the debt.