Former BHS boss Dominic Chappell to be prosecuted
The man who bought BHS for £1 is taken to court by UK pension regulator after the chain's collapse
The former boss of BHS is to be prosecuted for failing to help the pensions regulator investigate the collapse of the high-street retailer.
Dominic Chappell, who bought BHS for a nominal £1 in 2015 from billionaire Sir Philip Green, has been described by Reuters as "a serial bankrupt with no retail experience". He is charged with failing to provide information and documents the regulator requested as it looked into the sale of BHS.
The 2016 collapse led to the loss of 11,000 jobs and left a pension deficit of £571m. After lengthy wrangling this year, Green agreed to hand over £363m in cash to the pension scheme.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The investigation of Chappell, meanwhile, is still ongoing. The disgraced businessman has been summoned to appear at Brighton Magistrates' Court on 20 September to face three charges of refusing to provide information or documents without a reasonable excuse.
Labour MP Frank Field, who chairs the Parliamentary Work and Pensions Committee, asked how Green had been "allowed to get away with an inadequate settlement, in which pensions have been cut, yet Dominic Chappell is going to be sued".
He added: "I'll be consulting the House of Commons lawyers on when I can begin to unlock that puzzle, so that Mr Chappell has a fair trial."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Women are getting their own baseball league again
In the Spotlight The league is on track to debut in 2026
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Giant TVs are becoming the next big retail commodity
Under the Radar Some manufacturers are introducing TVs over 8 feet long
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
When will mortgage rates finally start coming down?
The Explainer Much to potential homebuyers' chagrin, mortgage rates are still elevated
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Home Office worker accused of spiking mistress’s drink with abortion drug
Speed Read Darren Burke had failed to convince his girlfriend to terminate pregnancy
By The Week Staff Published
-
In hock to Moscow: exploring Germany’s woeful energy policy
Speed Read Don’t expect Berlin to wean itself off Russian gas any time soon
By The Week Staff Published
-
Were Covid restrictions dropped too soon?
Speed Read ‘Living with Covid’ is already proving problematic – just look at the travel chaos this week
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Inclusive Britain: a new strategy for tackling racism in the UK
Speed Read Government has revealed action plan setting out 74 steps that ministers will take
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sandy Hook families vs. Remington: a small victory over the gunmakers
Speed Read Last week the families settled a lawsuit for $73m against the manufacturer
By The Week Staff Published
-
Farmers vs. walkers: the battle over ‘Britain’s green and pleasant land’
Speed Read Updated Countryside Code tells farmers: ‘be nice, say hello, share the space’
By The Week Staff Published
-
Motherhood: why are we putting it off?
Speed Read Stats show around 50% of women in England and Wales now don’t have children by 30
By The Week Staff Published
-
Anti-Semitism in America: a case of double standards?
Speed Read Officials were strikingly reluctant to link Texas synagogue attack to anti-Semitism
By The Week Staff Published