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'Unlawfully obtained' Brady phone records ended up in PKF's hands

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18th Nov 2011
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Unlawfully obtained phone records of West Ham vice chairman Karren Brady ended up in the hands of accountancy firm PKF while it was working for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, according to a high court judge.

At a high court hearing on Thursday, Mr Justice Coulson said the phone records were "unlawfully obtained by subterfuge" during the height of the 2012 Olympic Stadium bid dispute between the two clubs. The court also heard that a partner at the accountancy firm was alleged to have passed the records onto the Sunday Times.

According to news reports from the hearing, the judge concluded: "PKF was engaged by Tottenham Hotspur to carry out an investigation that was in some way connected with the Olympic Stadium. PKF have, in the last few days, said they do have copies of the wrongfully obtained telephone records."

The terms of PKF's engagement were not made clear by either the club or the accountants, but Tottenham's lawyers issued a statement insisting that Spurs did not instruct PKF to engage in any unlawful activity.

PKF had initially applied for the hearing to be held in private, but this was refused.

A spokesman for PKF told AccountingWEB: "Essentially, we've not been accused of any wrongdoing by West Ham or anyone else. What they've applied for is an order under what's known as Norwich Pharmacal relief, which is an application for information which might identity the wrongdoer.

"This sort of application can only be sought against a person who is not accused of wrongdoing."

The case, brought by Brady to reveal information about the "wrongdoers responsible", was adjourned by the high court until Wednesday 23 November. 

Update, 23 November: Following the hearing on Wednesday, a PKF spokesperson told AccountingWEB: "Neither West Ham nor Karren Brady have made any claim against PKF. They have asked us to supply information, which is confidential to our client, Tottenham Hotspur.

"Tottenham Hotspur indicated earlier today that it no longer objects to us providing this information, and we will now happily do so."

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By dstickl
21st Nov 2011 13:34

Level playing field? Market theory requires that ...

Level playing field? Efficient Market theory requires that ... all participants are working off the same set of info, doesn't it?

 

So what's your problem, please, Karren Brady? Don't you support having a Level playing field?

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