Katona loses bankruptcy fight

KERRY KATONA lost a race against time over a tax bill and was made bankrupt at a High Court hearing.

The former Atomic Kitten star reduced her £417,000 (€525,665) tax bill to £82,000 (€103,368) but HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) insisted on pressing ahead with the bankruptcy petition first issued in January.

The registrar agreed to make the order after giving 27-year-old Katona a final hour to come up with the balance.

Luke Harris, representing Katona, who was not in court, asked the registrar to put the matter back, saying funds were available but cheques had not been cleared.

Mr Harris said as soon as the money was ready it would be brought to the court and given to Mike Thomas, the lawyer representing HMRC.

But just before 1pm the registrar called the parties back into the court and Mr Harris said he was “not in a position to assist further”.

Two weeks ago, Katona was given until yesterday to find the sum by the registrar in a case that had been before the court four times.

Katona found fame and fortune in girl group Atomic Kitten in the late 1990s but faced a plethora of troubles after leaving the band in 2001.

She married and then divorced Westlife singer Brian McFadden, fighting him in a bitter custody battle for their two children.

She entered rehab for cocaine and alcohol abuse and, most recently, bipolar disorder after she was held hostage in her home by burglars.

She is married to taxi driver Mark Croft and the pair have two children.