Roofer has gambling addiction

A gambling addict behind a failed roofing company with over $400,000 in tax debts says he’s ‘‘no scumbag’’.

The Press revealed last week that Essential Roofing Limited, run by Christchurch man Macaulay Marchant, had outstanding jobs worth thousands of dollars.

Marchant put his company into voluntary liquidation on Friday and announced the move on the company’s website on Saturday. Marchant has promised to complete all outstanding jobs. Imran Kamal, the liquidator appointed by Marchant, said Marchant reported he was gambling about $50,000 a week and owed about $400,000 in tax.

Marchant told The Press he had an elite membership with TAB and some of his bets included $15,000 on a horse race and $10,000 on a sports bet. The money he gambled was the profit on his jobs.

‘‘I had a million dollar job last year so I made about $300,000 . . . I gambled it all. Some people have a P habit, I had a gambling habit,’’ he said. His gambling addiction ‘‘has and has never had an issue with my work’’.

He claimed he initiated his own ban from every TAB about four months ago because he saw his gambling as a ‘‘potential threat’’ and he was running himself downhill.

A ‘‘large tax debt’’ was on his books but he would have to wait for a full report before he knew how much he owed.

‘‘I’m not a scumbag . . . I’m not running away. However, I put myself in a pickle, I’m behind and the only thing I’m worried about now is sorting it.’’

He estimated he was about fiveand-a-half weeks behind on work, due, he said, to a relationship break-up and not having enough staff.