Former Ayr United winger Ian Walker, 67, and his wife Gail, 64, are facing eviction from their home in Ayr on July 7 over a £152,000 debt they insist is not theirs. The couple, who have been mortgage-free since 2018, claim Barclays Bank is pursuing them for money linked to an old Woolwich Building Society account that was taken over by Barclays in 2000.
Debt demands and court battles
Since December 2022, the Walkers have been inundated with demands from Barclays to repay what the bank says is owed. They have been to court twice to defend themselves. Ian Walker told Ayrshire Live: "We had a debt collector at our door and he told me that a substantial number of people in Ayr are also being chased by Barclays for money. We think this is the tip of the iceberg and could affect thousands more. It could be bigger than the Post Office scandal."
Allegations of fraudulent spending
The bank claims the couple used funds from the account for three trips to Benidorm, shows at the SECC in Glasgow, and other luxuries, along with numerous ATM withdrawals. The Walkers deny this, noting that the paperwork shows an incorrect address—"Nursary" Wynd instead of Nursery Wynd—and a phone number they stopped using 15 years ago. Ian added: "They gave us a printout of where the money was spent. They say we’ve been to Benidorm three times, which is not true. They also say they have records of ATM withdrawals where someone has been in 100 times and each time lifted £300. It’s definitely not us."
Legal costs and police investigation
The couple has spent £9,500 on legal fees to defend themselves. Police Scotland is investigating, with a spokesperson confirming: "We received a report of fraud and enquiries are ongoing." The Walkers have had their credit checked, which came back clean. Gail said: "They have looked at all the pages in our passports, they have copies of all our DVLA records of the cars that we did have and we have sent everything to our lawyer in Glasgow. He’s now forwarded them on to Barclays but they are not interested."
Barclays' response
A Barclays spokesperson said: "We have previously engaged with the customers, their representatives, and their local MSP on this matter, which relates to a Mortgage Current Account opened in 2007 with statements issued regularly. Our records show the account has been actively used over time for a range of transactions, and that the customers have had contact regarding the account dating back a number of years. The account matured in 2018 and the outstanding balance remains due. This matter has been subject to legal proceedings over several years, during which the position has been carefully considered. We do not recognise the suggestion that this is indicative of a wider or systemic issue."
Wider implications
In the last two months, an additional £12,000 was withdrawn from the mortgage account attributed to the Walkers, which they also deny. Ayr MSP Siobhian Brown is monitoring the situation. Ian said: "One option is to drop the eviction proceedings until the police conclude their investigation. But they are a big company and they keep saying ‘no, we want you out the house, we are taking it.’"
