Liverpool’s owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have suffered another setback after the High Court granted an injunction against their own injunction to block the club’s sale.
Mr Justice Floyd’s ruled that the anti-suit injunction wanted by RBS and the board against owner’s action in Texas is granted.
Hicks and Gillett had secured a temporary restraining order in a Dallas County court which, for 24 hours at least, prevented the sale of Liverpool to New England Sports Ventures, the owners of the Boston Red Sox.
Liverpool’s American owners were strongly condemned by presiding judge Floyd for taking “unconscionable” action to prevent the board pushing through a takeover by New England Sports Ventures. Floyd described the summary of the high court case in the owner’s petition to a Dallas court as “impoverished”.
Ultimately, Floyd concluded his verdict: “This case has nothing to do with Texas.”
The decision increases the likelihood of Liverpool being sold, with American company New England Sports Ventures seemingly in prime position, following the announcement earlier today that rival bidder, Peter Lim, had withdrawn his offer to buy the club.
The American pair were accused of ‘outrageous’ behaviour following their attempt to prevent the club from being sold.
“Having lost in front of your lordship they simply went to another jurisdiction to resume the same debate,” Lord Grabiner, representing the Liverpool board, told the court.
“The owners’ behaviour conclusively demonstrates just how incorrigible they are.
“They are absolutely determined to stop this transaction in its tracks and they have no lawful justification for behaving in this way.
“This is unconscionable behaviour of the worst possible kind and they are probably sitting there giggling now to themselves.”
