Creditors of Westlife singer Shane Filan, who was declared bankrupt in Britain in June after being unable to repay €18 million worth of debts built up in property developments in Leitrim and Sligo, have been called to a meeting in Dublin later this month.
Kevin John Hellard and Richard Hicken of Grant Thornton UK LLP are joint bankruptcy trustees for Mr Filan, who chose to declare bankruptcy in the Kingston-upon-Thames county court outside London.
The trustees have now called a creditors’ meeting under rule 6.81 of the Insolvency Rules 1986 to take place at 24-26 City Quay, Dublin 2, at 1pm on January 22nd to establish a creditors’ committee and settle on remuneration for the trustees.
Under British bankruptcy law, a creditors’ committee consists of between three and five creditors elected by all, and they must give approval for the subsequent actions of the trustees, including the bringing, or taking of legal actions.
Creditors of the Westlife singer, pictured above with wife Gillian, who is now living in London, must lodge proofs of the debt outstanding with the trustees by noon on January 21st, according to an official notice posted yesterday.
Mr Filan, who is hoping to restart his music career with a solo album, was forced into bankruptcy after the property firm owned together with his brother Finbarr collapsed, leaving debts of more than €5.5 million to Ulster Bank and Bank of Ireland.
Speaking after his bankruptcy declaration, Mr Filan said he had worked for months to avoid bankruptcy, but without success: “I have worked long and hard to try to reduce my debts, and I am devastated that it came to this conclusion,” he said then.
Westlife finished their final world tour last summer, having had 14 number one singles in Britain, including Flying Without Wings and Fool Again. In all, the band had more than two dozen songs that made the British Top 10.
