Former BHS owner vows to sue Sir Philip over ban

FORMER BHS owner Dominic Chappell plans to sue Sir Philip Green and contest a proposed boardroom ban in a bid to repair his “tarnished reputation” and resurrect his career.

The thrice-bankrupt businessman has lashed out at Insolvency Service plans to stop him serving as a company director while taking no action against Sir Philip, saying the authority has “not got the guts to go after Green”.

He claims the Government agency’s findings were at odds with parliamentary inquiries by business and pension committees that pinned BHS’s collapse on the billionaire tycoon.

Mr Chappell, who bought BHS from Sir Philip for £1 in 2015, said: “My reputation has been severely tarnished throughout this, and I intend to contest the Insolvency Service’s findings.

“There is that old saying ‘British justice: best the money can buy’ – Philip has bought his way out of the situation.”

Mr Chappell vowed to drag Sir Philip into the courtroom over the demise of the department store chain, saying it was the “only way” he could prove his position.

He said: “This matter is far from finished. I have been consulting lawyers with regards to next steps and I am looking at bringing on a full-blown suit against Philip Green. It is something that we will certainly be looking at pre-summer.”

The Insolvency Service has written to Mr Chappell and three other former BHS directors informing them of their intent to bring proceedings following its investigation into BHS.

Mr Chappell was hit in February with a bill of about £10m by the Pensions Regulator after it launched proceedings to claim back the cash owed to the failed retailer’s pension schemes.

The 51-year-old was convicted in January of failing to give information about BHS’s pension schemes to investigators after it collapsed into administration in April 2016, leaving a £571m pension deficit.

Sir Philip later agreed to pay £363m towards it to end action against him by the Pensions Regulator.

Sir Philip Green and the Insolvency Service declined to comment.