A man who was given a free nose job on the National Health Service, then threatened to sue it because he was unhappy with the result, has announced his bankruptcy. Sam Barton from Sutton Coldfield, in Birmingham blew a total of £100,000 on himself but still demanded the NHS spend even more.
Mr Barton who is 22-years-old claims to be Britain’s vainest man, and says he wants to emulate his idol Joey Essex from TV show ‘The Only Way Is Essex’. Last year he was given a taxpayer funded £5,000 nose job, but was unhappy with the results so threatened to sue the NHS. He hoped to secure £25,000 in compensation, meaning the taxpayer would have shelled out £30,000 plus any legal fees as a result of his desire to improve his nose.
At the time the Daily Mail reported NHS Birmingham CrossCity Clinical Commissioning Group who funded the operation were simultaneously refusing to treat 5-year-old cancer patient Kelli Smith. By refusing to paid for treatment for Smith, they were effectively signing her death warrant, as her parents had no means to raise the funds needed for her treatment.
Barton announced his plan to go bankrupt on after he left himself £35,000 in debt as a result of his champagne lifestyle. In a video statement he said: “After seeking advice from my management team I have decided to start the process of declaring myself bankrupt after overspending on a luxurious lifestyle.”
At the end of the tape the cameraman zooms in on a range of bags from high end shops such as Selfridge’s. He appears to show no signs of remorse and does not explain who his “management team” are.
He explained his predicament to the Birmingham Mail, saying: “I’ve been absolutely crazy with money since I was 18 but especially in the last two years when I’ve just simply had the time of my life. I never thought of how much anything cost – if I wanted something, I bought it.
“I’ve spent around £55,000 trying to improve my looks and get the perfect image. The rest I’ve spent on designer clothes, jewellery, holidays, spa treatment and champagne. In total, I have spent around £100,000.
“At one point I counted 15 credit cards and store cards. I would get a store card, take a friend into the shop who would spend on the card and then give me the cash. That happened on a number of occasions. I would always ensure I had hard cash in my wallet, even if it meant taking another store card to the limit.
“I have spent £2,000 in one night on champagne while out with friends buying bottles of champagne at £300 a time.”
Under British law Barton will remain bankrupt for one year and any assets will be taken from him. However, given his job as a barman, he is unlikely to be able to repay his creditors and as a result the bill for his lifestyle is likely to be paid by the finance companies he owes.
His idol Joey Essex has had procedures such as teeth whitening but none of it was funded by the National Health Service. He is also believed to be in a financially stable position.
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