£9M GERS DAMAGES GO-AHEAD
Top cop and prosecutor face lawsuit
A FORMER Rangers administrator’s £9million lawsuit against a top policeman and the country’s most senior lawmaker will be heard next year.
David Whitehouse, 51, is suing Police Scotland chief constable Philip Gormley and Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC.
The accountant alleges his detention and arrest by detectives investigating Craig Whyte’s takeover of the club in 2011 were wrongful and damaged his professional reputation.
His colleague Paul Clark was also arrested during the probe but charges against the pair were later dropped.
During a hearing at Edinburgh’s Court of Session yesterday, judge Lord Brailsford arranged for a debate on legal issues surrounding the case to take place over four days in May.
He said: “I acknowledge that this is a very serious litigation relating to matters of substance.”
Whitehouse and Clark worked for Duff & Phelps, who were appointed as administrators of the club in February 2012. The business and assets of The Rangers Football Club plc, who entered liquidation later that year, were sold to a consortium led by Charles Green for £5.5million.
Police launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the takeover.
Whyte was cleared of fraud by a jury at the High Court in Glasgow in June.
Whitehouse is also suing Liam Murphy, the procurator fiscal for specialist casework.
He claims police and prosecutors didn’t follow correct legal procedure and that his arrest cost him significant loss of income.
The chief constable and the Lord Advocate claim correct legal procedure was followed and want his case to be dismissed.