Premier League side Newcastle United Owner Mike Ashley last year “lost one court case in Dubai over fees he is alleged to owe” former club Dir Tony Jimenez for “attempting to sell the club,” according to Matt Hughes of the LONDON TIMES. Hughes’ publication obtained a judgment from the Dubai Court of First Instance, who ruled last year that Ashley must pay Jimenez £7M ($9M) plus interest for "unpaid fees relating to an abortive sale process” in ‘08. The Dubai courts have also been “asked by Jimenez to open criminal proceedings against Ashley for allegedly using insulting language of a racial nature about Arabic businessman seeking to buy Newcastle, the details of which were revealed in the High Court in London" on Wednesday. Ashley declined to comment on this request. In a judgment from Chief Master Matthew Marsh over whether Ashley can “bring a counter-claim against Jimenez in London it was disclosed that Ashley has admitted he may have made a ‘regrettable remark’ during a disturbance at the Bahri Bar in Dubai” in ‘08. The Newcastle owner has been “accused by Jimenez of making insulting comments" about the Dubai Royal Family, the Islamic faith and the former Newcastle Manager Kevin Keegan in an "outburst" witnessed by the club’s former director of football, Dennis Wise. Ashley denied "using any racist language.” Judge Marsh ruled that Ashley can “pursue Jimenez" for £3M ($3.9M) he has already paid him as part of an alleged £10M deal for work done on the sale of Newcastle” in ‘08, with a potentially explosive trial set to be scheduled for ’20 (LONDON TIMES, 1/17).
DETAILS STILL TO COME: In London, Jane Croft reported a spokesperson for Ashley said the billionaire “flatly denies he ever made any comment about the Dubai royal family, the Islamic faith or Kevin Keegan.” Judge Marsh noted that Jimenez’s evidence in previous court cases had been “found to be ‘unreliable’ but said this ‘does not mean he is lying in this case.’” Judge Marsh’s ruling “deals with jurisdiction and he has not ruled on the allegations themselves.” No date has yet been given for a full trial at the High Court where a judge “will adjudicate on the claims” (FINANCIAL TIMES, 1/17).
