London’s High Court found in favour of Tim Wright, who began proceedings against the Chargers and parent company Deccan Chronicle Holdings in February 2009. The defendants initially tried to avoid liability by challenging the jurisdiction of the English court, but that application was rejected. Having submitted a detailed defence, the defendants then ceased to engage in the proceedings.

Material breaches

At yesterday’s hearing, Judge Seymour QC found that Deccan Chargers had committed a number of clear, material breaches of their obligations under Mr Wright’s employment contract, including by failing to provide his full salary, benefits and pension entitlements, failing to appoint him to the board of directors and failing to transfer to him an agreed equity share in the company.  
The Judge ordered Deccan Chargers and Deccan Chronicle Holdings to pay Mr Wright £10,533,478 due under his contract. He also chastised the defendants for their ‘disgraceful’ conduct of the litigation, ordering them to pay Mr Wright’s legal costs on an indemnity basis.
Mr Wright – who was represented by Adam Tudor, a partner at London law firm Carter-Ruck -- said the judgment was ‘vindication of my decision not to be cowed by the bullying of a large corporation.’