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Malicious prosecutions, how Scotland works when it comes to football

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Imran Ahmad, one of the founding fathers of Newco Rangers, was yesterday awarded £600k damages for malicious prosecution.  He was charged with fraud in 2015 in connection with the deal that secured ‘a basket of assets’ from Rangers administrators three years earlier.

This brings the total payout from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) for malicious prosecutions in connection with the administration of Rangers to over £52m.  The club failed to make provisions for legal challenges by HMRC, which were eventually lost.  Assets were sold off to a newco, Sevco Scotland Ltd, later renamed The Rangers Football Club Ltd, before the club was put into liquidation.

The events of 2012 were often theatrical.  The initial asset purchase agreement was signed with Sevco 5088 Ltd, before Sevco Scotland assumed the right.  Any dispute surrounding this matter was concluded behind closed doors.

Administrators then went through the public motions of trying to sell players’ employment contracts, signed with Rangers to the Newco.  This innovative move failed, with Steven Davis, Kyle Lafferty, Steven Naismith, Allan McGregor and others walking away.

The administrators also renamed Rangers as RFC 2012 PLC and permitted the Newco to use the trading style “Rangers”.  This was seen as crucial by Sevco in picking up business which had previously gone to Rangers.  They were able to present a sense of continuity to football fans, although hopes of entering the same league Rangers had played in were thwarted by a Dashing Grassroots-to-Boardroom Manoeuvre across the country.

Within hours of the assets auction being won by Sevco, a consortium of ‘Rangers people’ were keen to buy them.  A campaign then followed which was often unpleasant, the assets’ new owners had no business or emotional connections to Oldco.

During this time, police, then COPFS, investigated actions around the sale and purchase and authorised charges.  Reputations, including that of Mr Ahmad’s were burned.  If you are looking for ‘clean hands’ in this matter, however, you may be disappointed.

£52m is an enormous portion of Scotland’s judicial budget – approximately £10 for every man, woman and child.  In paying out for a malicious act, you accept that there was an intent to do harm to the victim, not simply to act without due care.

That is quite an admission from COPFS, who as recently as 2019 declined an offer from Mr Ahmad to apologise and walk away without further consideration.  They really, really, did not want to admit to being in the wrong, but were left with no option.

This is how Scotland operates in our times, at least when it comes to football.  An inquiry will follow many years from now, when all the actors have left the stage and memories are unable to recall details.  Forgive me for being cynical.

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  2. Drambowiecelt on

    @Melvin..(Nostra} Great memories..of life on mars

     

    My late son called me into his bedroom …Dad i like this song..

     

    He then went onto play it on his guitar…….

     

    He had transposed it from Bowies piano to guitar..He had only been playing a year..

     

    if i had a fancy phone then ……..

     

    anyway keep them coming big mhan

     

     

     

    H.H

  3. Majestic Hartson on

    Smashing afternoon meeting so many of you in the Shipbank.

     

     

    Hopefully the old folks home let you all out again soon.

     

     

    🤪

  4. Drambowiecelt on

    @GFTB….How you mate …..Hope that Tim daughter of yours keeps you young..

     

    I’m goin thru the early stages that you went thru years ago….

     

    My Granddaughter thinks i can get tickets for every gemme…lol

     

    She’s 9 ffs and cellic daft….

     

     

     

     

     

    H.H

  9. GFTB on

    DrambowieCelt 10.38pm

     

     

    All good mate … she has already ditched me, she went to the Buckie Thistle game with her pal fae school.. I was 2nd choice “you can come with us if you want” :-)

  10. Melvin Udall on

    DRAMBOWIECELT on 1ST MARCH 2024 10:32 PM

     

    @Melvin..(Nostra} Great memories..of life on mars

     

     

    My late son called me into his bedroom …Dad i like this song..

     

     

    He then went onto play it on his guitar…….

     

     

    He had transposed it from Bowies piano to guitar..He had only been playing a year..

     

     

    if i had a fancy phone then ……..

     

     

    anyway keep them coming big mhan

     

    —————

     

    Cheers pal!

     

    Great memories for you to have.

     

     

    Also, RIP Sean’s brother. Sad news buddy.

     

    Hope you can remember all the nice times with him.

  13. timmy7_noted on

    If you need cheering up read the cqn article on Mark Lawell. How on earth he’s been sacked when he’s been so successful is beyond me. 🙄

     

     

    Who writes this pish?

  16. Drambowiecelt on

    @Gerry..What a girl……your second choice now lol…

     

    My wee one is celtic daft….So young..she’s even got our lurcher daft..

     

    When the the tic score a goal…wee roxy wants a treat…..

     

    it’s like pandemonium in the living room lol…

  18. Drambowiecelt on

    @Timmy ffs if i needed cheering up i would avoid your posts

     

    Lighten up bro…….

     

    Whats your fav 70’s song?/

  21. GFTB on

    DrambowieCelt 11.05pm

     

     

    I defo played the long game … her mum & two big sisters are all of a Sevconian nature and without even trying she has definitely followed in her father’s footsteps :-)

     

     

    I hate Celtic getting beat or even dropping points but I know take great comfort in how much it annoys my daughter more :-)

     

     

    Need to take any positive out of a Celtic draw or defeat

     

     

    :-) 🍀

     

     

    Not that I ever want us to not win, I now take solace she is now enduring what I went through many moons ago

  24. Philbhoy on

    Had a great wee night with the misses playing a good mix of Irish music!

     

     

    A lovely evening!

     

     

    Good night and God bless!

  26. GFTB on

    BRRB 11.21pm

     

     

    Nae bother …

     

     

    Am only jealous mate … Friday is never an easy day to leave early …

     

     

    Need to sort out a Monday Alfredo’s day oot

     

     

    Then wife & daughter think am at work :-)

  29. Kelvinbhoy on

    SEAN THORNTON on 1ST MARCH 2024 9:20 PM

     

     

    Sorry to hear about your loss – remember the great tines you had. Take care

  33. bournesouprecipe on

    Sean Thornton

     

     

    It’s a sore one when you lose a brother

     

     

    May he rest in peace

     

     

    Hail Hail

  34. Turkeybhoy on

    Chairbhoy,

     

    Read back on yourself sometimes.Why do you go on the offensive when anyone disagrees with your set in stone thoughts?.You accuse quickly anyone who veers a tad from your seemingly,righteous path.

     

    In replying to my post earlier,you had to start with a wee snide,” We know you are angry”.You know nothing of the kind,you dont kno me.Again I stated,I did not care,not believed by you it seems.Again making an assumption.

     

    My comments about the January window were only comments,I had been making since the window opened.To try and get 3 or 4 “Quality players” in would be nigh on impossible in January.Not said in hindsight.Why BR said it,I have no idea,you would need to ask him,but I was proved correct,not only with us,by the whole window.Hardly a player sold or bought.So many,without thinking just adopted the Mantra of,3 or 4 players,will be coming in.and on here especially,used that certain failure to once again attack their favourite subjects.Unlike so many on this Blog who know everything about the Board,what they do,earn,duties,I dont care one way or another,never have,never will,so dont try and put me into any box .That seems to be the way on here.Junior has gone,dont care,good luck,someone else will come in.My only interest is in the team on the park,winning,plenty.A notion that seems quite alien to some.

  36. GFTB on

    Turkeybhoy 12.11am

     

     

    Some Celtic fans/posters seem to be more interested in the stuff off the field than on the field … more comments about some recruitment Bhoy leaving his employment than Daniel Kelly scoring his first ever goal in a 7-1 win … since wednesday i would hazard a guess Mark Lawell has been mentioned more than Daniel Kelly …. maybe its not just P67 who is more interested in the Bored (sic) … as some posters do suggest

  37. Burnley78 on

    Rangers manager puting more pressure on referees. Challenging decisions from a position of strength.

     

     

    Our guy and team taking it all on the chin and saying nothing.

  40. GFTB on

    Burnley78 12.27am

     

     

    Give me Brendan over Clement every day of every week …

     

     

    Clement has still to be put under pressure, even if we don’t win the league (which I think we will) we should stick by Brendan … 100%

  41. Burnley78 on

    Timmy 7

     

     

    I agree. He wasn’t sacked. I think this will become apparent pretty soon.

     

     

    That said Rodgers has played a part in undoing another piece of Ange’s good work.

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