Rangers administrators wrongfully prosecuted, admits Crown
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James Wolffe, QC, the Lord Advocate of Scotland, admitted in court this morning that David Whitehouse and Paul Clark, the two administrators of the liquidated Rangers FC, had been the victims of malicious prosecution by the Crown.
In the Court of Session, the two administrators from Duff and Phelps are suing the Lord Advocate and Police Scotland for a sum now thought to be in excess of £15 million for their wrongful prosecution.
After four years of the legal action, which involved a lengthy legal battle over whether the Lord Advocate had legal immunity, Whitehouse and Clark may now receive millions of pounds of compensation and have their reputations fully restored to their former standing.
Iain Ferguson QC for Mr Clark, said that documents had been given to lawyers in a “drip, drip fashion”.
He told Lord Tyre: “Frankly it is nothing short of a disgrace that the Government has behaved in this fashion towards private citizens who it now accepts should never have been prosecuted.
“It is only because of the determination of Mr Clark and Mr Whitehouse to clear their names that this situation has come about and the bottom line is that less wealthy individuals could never have reached this point. That’s completely unacceptable.”
The National has revealed that with the former directors Charles Green and Imran Ahmad also taking cases for more than £25m in compensation, the case could end up costing the taxpayer £40m in damages plus millions more in expenses.
This morning, Whitehouse and Clark were awarded £600,000 in interim expenses, The Glasgow Times reports.
The BBC has already revealed that Mr Ahmad would receive an apology and damages from the Lord Advocate.
Police Scotland, the Crown Office and the Scottish Government have been asked for comment.
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