Anfield: Home of Liverpool(credit:
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Former Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has been told he cannot sue for damages in an American court.
Hicks and fellow former co-owner George Gillett lost control of the Anfield outfit last October when a High Court judge in London gave chairman Martin Broughton the green light to sell the club to New England Sports Ventures, headed by John W. Henry.
Hicks described the £300m deal as an “epic swindle” and both he and Gillett, who attempted to block the sale in the Texas courts, are demanding £1bn in damages from Royal Bank of Scotland and former directors.
High Court judge Mr Justice Floyd granted anti-suit orders at the time of the sale, and he has now upheld that ruling following an application from the two men to lift the order.
However, he has varied the original injunction, allowing Hicks to make applications in America, but only if that would aid proceedings taking place in the United Kingdom and that the parties being sued are given seven days notice.
A Liverpool statement read: “We are delighted that Mr Justice Floyd has granted the applications requested by Sir Martin Broughton, RBS and NESV and that the anti-suit injunction prohibiting the former owners from commencing legal actions against these parties outside the EU has been upheld and clarified.
“Sir Martin, RBS and NESV continue to maintain that there is no basis to challenge the propriety or validity of any actions by them or any of those involved on their behalf in the sale of the club.
“They will continue to take all steps necessary to defend vigorously any litigation threatened or commenced by the club's former owners.”