Ex-Stobart chief says it’s time to move on after court battle

A HIGH-PROFILE businessman says it is time for him to “move on” in the wake of a judge’s ruling on a boardroom battle at a major infrastructure business which started up in an isolated Lake District village half a century ago.

Bosses at the Stobart Group, which began life when Eddie Stobart went into business as an agricultural contractor in Hesket Newmarket, Cumbria, during the 1960s, had sued former chief executive Andrew Tinkler.

They said Mr Tinkler conspired with other businessmen to harm the company’s interests and was lawfully dismissed.

Mr Tinkler, a former cabinetmaker who led the business between 2007 and 2017, had said he was removed for no good reason and disputed claims made against him.

Judge Jonathan Russen yesterday concluded that Mr Tinkler’s dismissal during the summer of last year was a “lawful and valid act”. But he also ruled that bosses had not established an “unlawful means conspiracy” against Mr Tinkler.

The judge had analysed allegations and counter-allegations at a trial at the High Court late last year. Stobart bosses had also made complaints against Mr Tinkler related to expenses claims.

Mr Tinkler had denied the complaints and the judge had been told during the trial that those allegations were no longer being pursued.

Afterwards, a spokesman for Mr Tinkler said he believed it was now time for him to move on from being directly involved in the day-to-day management of the company.

He added: “At Stobart, a new board should be put in place so that the company can thrive again.”

Judge Russen ruled on a series of issues, concluding that Mr Tinkler breached “fiduciary and contractual duties” in a number of respects, including by “agitating for the removal” of non-executive chairman Iain Ferguson.

He also concluded that four directors Mr Tinkler was at odds with, including Mr Ferguson, had “breached the duty to act for proper purposes” in relation to a share transfer.