Source: PA
Liverpool's owners secure `outrageous' Texas order
Liverpool FC's American owners were accused of "outrageous" behaviour on Thursday after they thwarted High Court orders allowing the club to be sold.
Mr Justice Floyd had given a ruling in London on Wednesday that meant the English directors of Liverpool could agree a £300million takeover by John W Henry's New England Sport Group. But before the board could make any decision, Tom Hicks, one of the American owners, secured a temporary restraining order from a Texas court.
Richard Snowden QC, for the RBS bank, said there were no legal representatives for Hicks and George Gillett in court on Thursday, although they had been informed of the latest move.
Mr Snowden said they had been forced to act because of "extraordinary events" following the High Court ruling. He said the American owners had complied with the orders to restore the original directors of the Liverpool board but at the same time had launched a US action.
"About five minutes before the board was due to commence the meeting at 1830 hours, solicitors for the companies were informed that relief had been obtained from a judge in Texas, purportedly on behalf of the three English companies (which control Liverpool). The Texas court seems to have been told remarkably little about the proceedings in this court."
He said the US court had also allowed an injunction to stop RBS exercising its right to recall its loan. "This is the most outrageous abuse of process. The proceedings in Texas are plainly inappropriate. This dispute involves an English football club and three English companies and has no connection with Texas other than that Hicks and Gillett may reside there. It is a plain attempt to frustrate and impede the proceedings."
