Former BHS owner ‘set up to fail’ by pensions watchdog
THE former owner of collapsed high street chain BHS was “set up to fail” by the Pensions Regulator, a court heard.
Dominic Chappell, 51, bought the business from Sir Philip Green for £1 a year before it went bust with a £571million pensions black hole.
The watchdog claims he failed to disclose information. But Michael Levy, defending, said it asked for documents with short deadlines. Chappell claims the data was frozen in his BHS emails or seized by HMRC. Mr Levy asked the head of TPR’s BHS probe if Sir Philip was ordered to divulge details of the deal. She said she did not know and he replied: “Mr Chappell is in Brighton magistrates while Sir Philip Green is probably on his yacht in the Caribbean.” Chappell, of Blandford Forum, Dorset, denies failing to respond to data disclosure notices. The case continues.