Robert Fitt successfully represented former Premier League footballer Lucas Neill, who was acquitted of two offences at Preston Crown Court.

Mr Neill, the former captain of the Australian national team, the Socceroos, and former captain of West Ham, had been charged with offences under sections 353 and 356 of the Insolvency Act 1986. The prosecution alleged that he had sought to defraud his creditors by hiding assets worth £2.175 million from the Insolvency Service and his trustees in bankruptcy. The funds were owned by a company that was held in a trust in Gurnsey for Mr Neill’s sole benefit.

Mr Neill relied on the statutory defence in section 352 of the 1986 Act, which required the Defence to prove on the balance of probabilities that he had no intention of defrauding his creditors or misrepresenting the state of his affairs when he failed to disclose the assets.

The jury unanimously acquitted Mr Neill on both counts after a deliberation period of only about thirty minutes.

Robert was instructed by Joseph Kotrie Monson of Mary Monson Solicitors.

Those with a subscription can read about the case in the Sunday Times here: Football gave me a Ferrari – now I can’t afford a phone (thetimes.co.uk)