Ex-football agent claims to be victim of ‘witch hunt’ as he denies charges
FORMER football “super-agent” Willie McKay has pleaded not guilty to fraud charges and claimed to be a victim of a “witch hunt”.
McKay, 60, denied two offences when he made a brief appearance at Manchester Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
The defendant, who has represented a number of high-profile football stars, denied two charges under the Insolvency Act.
The charges are that as a bankrupt he made a gift of property by spending £9,100 to buy a Rolex Date Just II watch for his wife in Leeds on December 14, 2014; and that a day later he spent £54,000 on a Jaguar XK5 car for his wife in Doncaster.
After entering his not guilty pleas, the 10-minute hearing was adjourned for a pre-trial hearing next month.
Outside court, McKay, who was involved in the transfer of Emiliano Sala to Cardiff City before the striker died in a plane crash in January, approached reporters and protested his innocence.
He said: “This is an ongoing persecution. That’s what this is all about.”
He claimed to be victim of a “witch hunt” by the authorities.
Earlier Andrew Evans, prosecuting, said the gifts amounted to £63,100 and the matter should not be dealt with at the magistrates’ court but at a higher court.
David Marsh, defending McKay, said the defendant would elect to be tried by a jury at the higher court.
McKay, of Craighead Road, Glasgow, was given unconditional bail until his next appearance at Manchester Crown Court on October 3.
McKay was part of the deal to bring Sala to Cardiff in a record signing for The Bluebirds.
Sala and pilot David Ibbotson were both travelling in a light aircraft from Nantes towards Cardiff when it crashed into the English Channel on January 21.
After the aircraft was located, Sala’s body was recovered on February 6, while Mr Ibbotson remains unaccounted for.
The most recent report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch said Sala had “potentially fatal” levels of carbon monoxide in his system, with Mr Ibbotson likely to have been affected.