Goodwin’s date with law in doubt as RBS trial halted by dramatic late offer

The trial of Royal Bank of Scotland and its former bosses over what they knew about the financial health of the bank prior to a 2008 rights issue and its subsequent £45 billion taxpayer bailout has been adjourned for 24 hours as a last minute settlement was being sought.

A 14-week trial at the London’s High Court was due to begin today which would see disgraced former Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive Fred Goodwin, along with members of his board, face a public grilling over what was known by bosses at the Edinburgh-based lender prior to its near collapse at the height of the financial crisis.