Port Vale kit man, 54, ‘blackmailed club’s millionaire owner for £15k’
A FOOTIE club’s kit man is accused of trying to blackmail the millionaire owner.
Former police hostage negotiator Duncan Whitehead, 54, allegedly threatened to release damaging information about Port Vale’s Carol Shanahan if she did not hand over £15,000.
Shanahan, 67, has owned the League Two club with husband Kevin since 2019.
The pair turned Whitehead over to cops last October.
It is unclear what he was allegedly threatening to reveal about Ms Shanahan, who made £10million founding financial technology giant Synectics Solutions in the 1990s.
Whitehead appeared at North Staffordshire magistrates court last month.
He has yet to enter a plea and will appear at Stoke-on-Trent crown court on January 5.
Whitehead, of Blackpool, served as a Lancashire Constabulary cop from 1992 to 2014 but resigned to start a mental health charity.
He has worked as a kit man for a string of lower league clubs and joined Port Vale two years ago.
The part-time writer also works as a private security guard.
Take That’s Robbie Williams, 50, Vale’s most famous fan, was made president earlier this year — but has no role in the club’s operation.