LAW FIRM FIGHT FOR SLICE OF GERS £30m
Britain First chief bailed on Islam rap Company in legal battle for cash from BDO
THE deputy leader of farright group Britain First was released on bail yesterday after appearing in court over comments about Islam made on social media.
At Belfast Magistrates’ Court, Jayda Fransen, 31, was charged with threatening behaviour over remarks made on Wednesday beside a peace wall dividing Catholics from Protestants in the city. Fransen, of southeast London, will appear in court again next month. THE liquidators of Rangers are locked in a £2.8million legal battle with a firm once linked to disgraced former owner Craig Whyte.
Lawyers for Wavetower are seeking to claim a chunk of the £30million that liquidators BDO are believed to have recovered.
It was revealed in July that Wavetower, the firm used by Whyte to acquire Rangers but now with no links to him, had been taken over by legal firm Henderson & Jones, who buy legal claims and pursue them through the courts.
BDO rejected Wavetower’s claim for the cash two years ago when it was originally made by Whyte.
Now Henderson & Jones are seeking to have the Court of Session overturn BDO’s decision.
In the Edinburgh court yesterday, Roddy Dunlop, acting for BDO, said their defence would “explore the fraud” allegedly committed by Whyte to buy the Ibrox side. Whyte was acquitted at the High Court in Glasgow in May of taking over the club by fraud in 2011.
Dunlop argued there was not a “scintilla of evidence” Whyte’s firms “introduced a penny” into Rangers.
The Wavetower claim is based on an argument they should be first in line for assets from BDO because they paid off the £18million debt to Lloyds Bank when Whyte took over.
Yesterday’s hearing saw Dunlop call for Rangers FC Group Limited, formerly known as Wavetower, to deposit £100,000 to cover BDO’s expenses if BDO win the case. He said Rangers FC Group Limited were in debt so could claim they are unable to pay legal costs.
John MacGregor, acting for those pursuing the Rangers cash, said it was not in the “interests of justice” to ring-fenced money for legal bills.
Judge Lord Doherty ordered £25,000 be set aside for legal costs for now, with six weeks to pay.