Ex-Rangers boss Craig Whyte battles ticket-buyer

FORMER Rangers Football Club owner Craig Whyte yesterday began the latest round of his High Court fight with a ticket-buying firm.

Craig Whyte, pictured at Ibrox in 2011. Picture: SNS

Mr Whyte appealed after being ordered to pay more than £17 million to Ticketus earlier this year.

He asked Deputy High Judge David Halpern QC to overturn the ruling, made by a more junior judge, at a hearing in London.

Ticketus said Mr Whyte had fraudulently or negligently made representations which induced the company to enter into agreements related to the sale or purchase of Rangers’ season tickets in 2011, and claimed damages.

The firm claims Mr Whyte did not disclose he had been disqualified from working as a director.

Mr Whyte disputed the claim.

In April, a High Court master had ruled against Mr Whyte prior to a trial, after Ticketus argued that the former Rangers’ chairman had “no real prospect” of mounting a successful defence. The master ordered Mr Whyte to pay £17.6m.

Lawyers for Mr Whyte yesterday argued that the master’s decision to grant a “summary judgment” had been unfair.

They said the case should be allowed to go to trial and said Mr Whyte had a “realistic” defence.