Hicks wins Liverpool court battle

Former owners Hicks and Gillett called the sale of Liverpool ‘an extraordinary swindle’ [GALLO/GETTY]

Tom Hicks, the former owner of Liverpool Football Club, has won his legal battle to seek damages over the sale of the English Premier League club.
 
Hicks and fellow American George Gillett pledged last year to use all legal means to secure damages of at least $1.6 billion over the contested sale of the club to John W. Henry’s New England Sports Ventures – owners of the Boston Red Sox – for $483.8 million.

Hicks and Gillett called the sale “illegal” and “an extraordinary swindle” but the board went ahead and sold the five-times European champions last October, with the blessing of major creditor Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

Hicks and Gillett said they had offered to pay outstanding debt to the RBS but that attempt was rejected.

Hicks had sought to lift court orders which had prevented him taking action in his home state of Texas to halt the deal in which he claims he lost $226 million.

A High Court judge dismissed that application but amended the terms to allow Hicks to make applications in the US in support of any proceedings in this country if he gives seven days notice to the parties he is suing, the Press Association news agency reported.

RBS said it was “satisfied with the ruling.”

The bank had been concerned that the main legal jurisdiction for the claims could shift from Britain to the United States.