Footballer David Goodwillie left penniless after rape case

FORMER Scotland striker David Goodwillie says his lawyers abandoned a bid to have him declared bankrupt because they had finally realised he had 'nothing left' after a civil court ruled he and a former teammate raped a woman.

David Goodwillie. Picture: PA

Law firm Kennedys dropped a sequestration action against the ex-Dundee United star at Stirling Sheriff Court by intentionally failing to appear.

Kennedys Scotland represented Goodwillie through a lengthy damages claim which ended in November last year when three appeal judges upheld a Court of Session ruling that, on the balance of probabilities, he and former teammate David Robertson had raped young mother Denise Clair in Armadale, West Lothian, after a drunken night out in 2011.

Ms Clair, 31, won £100,000 damages in the civil action, which she launched after the Crown Office ruled out a criminal prosecution.

Goodwillie, 29, who is married to model Kirstie Smith, 26, had been told to appear at the Stirling Sheriff Court last week for the first calling of an petition by Kennedy’s Scotland for his sequestration. However, although Goodwillie turned up, Kennedys did not.

Sheriff William Gilchrist told the footballer, who represented himself at the two-minute hearing: “All right Mr Goodwille, no-one’s appearing for Kennedy’s Scotland - nobody’s appeared for those petitioning for your sequestration so I’ll simply dismiss the petition.”

Outside court Goodwillie said: “I came because I got a letter telling me to be here.

“I’m not too sure what to think of it.

“I think lawyers and things are just thinking now, have I still got money?

“I’ve had enough trouble.”