Former Northern Rock banker dies

THE FORMER treasurer of Northern Rock has been found dead at his home.

Keith Currie, 56, stepped down two months after the bank’s collapse in 2007 and had previously taken time off work due to apparently stress-related illnesses. The father-of-one was found dead at his home in Jesmond, Newcastle, on Sunday.

Police are not treating the death as suspicious.

A close friend, who asked not to be named, said Mr Currie blamed himself for the pain felt by shareholders, who lost out when Northern Rock was nationalised in 2008.

Mr Currie was appointed treasury manager of Northern Rock in January 2005 and played a key role in ensuring the bank had enough financing.

Northern Rock’s shares collapsed after it was forced to seek emergency funding from the Bank of England.