Ex-BHS owner Dominic Chappell ‘doesn’t mind’ being banned as a company director

Former BHS owner Dominic Chappell leaving the High court in London today

Dominic Chappell appeared in court today where he told a judge he is unable to pay for a lawyer and ‘cannot fight anymore’.

The former BHS owner appeared before Judge Daniel Schaffer, at an Insolvency and Companies Court hearing in London where he said he was happy to be banned from serving as a company director.  

Business Secretary Greg Clark has taken legal action against Mr Chappell, under the terms of legislation governing the disqualification of company directors, and Judge Schaffer was overseeing the latest in a number of hearings.

The former racing driver and entrepreneur represented himself at the hearing and told the judge that he did not have enough money to pay for a lawyer.

He said he was happy to be banned but said some of the evidence Mr Clark was presenting against him was inaccurate.

Mr Chappell said he was embroiled in disputes or discussions with five government departments.

‘I don’t have the money at the moment to ask for representation from a legal firm,’ he told the judge.

‘I just cannot fight anymore. I cannot take this pressure anymore.’

Outside court, Mr Chappell said: ‘I have got five government departments either wanting money or costing me money at the moment.

‘I don’t think I’ve had a fair deal. Why is there only me here?

‘I don’t mind being barred as a company director but I do dispute some of the evidence they are presenting.’

The former BHS owner appeared before Judge Daniel Schaffer, at an Insolvency and Companies Court hearing in London

The former BHS owner appeared before Judge Daniel Schaffer, at an Insolvency and Companies Court hearing in London

Judge Schaffer said a judge’s view on the accuracy of evidence could affect the length of a ban. 

He said a judge would decide on the length of a ban after a further hearing. 

In March bosses at the Insolvency Service, which comes under Mr Clark’s umbrella, said they had written to Mr Chappell and three other former BHS directors, saying they intended to bring proceedings following an investigation into the collapse of department store chain.

Businessman Sir Philip Green had sold BHS to Mr Chappell for £1 in 2015 before it went into administration a year later with the loss of 11,000 jobs.

Its demise sparked a parliamentary investigation which branded Sir Philip ‘the unacceptable face of capitalism’.

In September, a judge said Mr Chappell had given ‘entirely unbelievable’ evidence as she dismissed his appeal against conviction for failing to provide information to the Pensions Regulator.

Businessman Sir Philip Green sold BHS to Mr Chappell for £1 in 2015 before it went into administration a year later with the loss of 11,000 jobs

Businessman Sir Philip Green sold BHS to Mr Chappell for £1 in 2015 before it went into administration a year later with the loss of 11,000 jobs

Mr Chappell had been ordered to pay more than £87,000, including a £50,000 fine, after being found guilty in January of failing to provide information to the regulator about BHS’s pension schemes when it collapsed with the loss of thousands of jobs.

He told an appeal hearing, held at Hove Crown Court, that he ‘did everything in his power’ to help the regulator but had been ‘drowning in paperwork’ as he was being investigated by five Government departments.

Judge Christine Henson, who oversaw the appeal hearing, criticised Mr Chappell for his ‘evasive and unbelievable’ evidence to the court. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk