Unpaid tax charges against Southend's Ron Martin dismissed

Ron Martin, 69, and former chief executive Geoffrey King were accused of failing to pay £4,485,000 in Value Added Tax over the sale of land in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and £921,260 of VAT in relation to the sale of land in Thundersley.

The charges against Mr Martin have been dismissed and the Shrimpers chairman says the club can now move forward with plans for a new state-of-the-art stadium at Fossetts Farm.

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• Plans for Southend United new stadium are 'all full steam ahead'
• Southend United: Ron Martin steps down from Fossetts Farm firm

A Southwark Crown Court judge made the ruling at a hearing on June 27.

New ground - Fossetts Farm plans

Last night, Mr Martin released a statement through the club’s website stating the charges had been dropped.

This morning, a crown court spokesman confirmed the outcome.

A Southend United spokesman said: “At the end of last month, a dismissal hearing was held at Southwark Crown Court regarding HMRC’s case against Mr Martin.

“Mr Martin’s legal representatives applied for the case to be dismissed on the basis that there was simply no evidence to support the misconceived allegations made by HMRC.

"In a robust ruling, applying the first limb of the Galbraith test, His Honour Judge Hiddleston agreed, dismissing the charges against Mr Martin and quashing the indictment. 

“Mr Martin will continue to work on the delivery of the club’s future state-of-the-art infrastructure at Fossetts, phase 1 of which has commenced, represented by an initial investment into the development of the club’s new training ground.”

The Fossetts Farm stadium will boast 17,000 seats with the club aiming to move in for the start of the 2024/25 season.

The development will feature a 107-bedroom hotel, and 182 apartments and a total of 1,114 homes.

In March Mr Martin resigned as director of Roots Hall Limited, the firm behind the development, leaving his son Jack as the remaining director.

The same month, Homes England revealed no agreement was in place over a £30 million Government loan to help bankroll the plans – previously described as “absolutely crucial” to the project by former Southend Council leader Ian Gilbert.

In light of the charges against Mr Martin, Homes England said the funding would be “subject to detailed due diligence”.

Homes England has been contacted to confirm whether the loan will be released now the charges have been dismissed.