Tax bill plea wins Kevin Maxwell more time

THE COURTS yesterday gave Kevin Maxwell time to seek voluntary arrangement with his creditors because he said he was unable to meet an income tax bill.

The move gives Mr Maxwell, who last month was charged with various counts of theft and fraud, 14 days to come up with a scheme which to stave off creditors who during that time cannot start civil proceedings against him.

George Auger, of the accountants Stoy Hayward, was appointed to act as his nominee in seeking the arrangement. Mr Maxwell said through his lawyers, Peters & Peters, that he had received a demand from the Inland Revenue which he could not pay.

Mr Maxwell is also facing legal action from Robson Rhodes, which is chasing money missing from the Maxwell pension funds, demanding pounds 420m from him.

His assets in the UK include a pounds 1.5m house in Chelsea, which he moved out of at the weekend, and a Morgan car. He lives in a house in Oxfordshire which is owned by his wife, Pandora.

Meanwhile, Maxwell pensioners have written to 402 MPs with Maxwell connections in their constituencies compaining that help offered by the Government is insufficient. They say the Government should take charge of the search for missing assets because of its prohibitive cost.

In one scheme - the Maxwell Communication Pension Plan - fees over the past three months have been pounds 420,000 while payments to pensioners have been just pounds 660,000.