Fraud trial of ex-JJB Sports chief set to begin

THE former boss of now collapsed North West retailer JJB Sports will go on trial this week accused of a £1m fraud.

The trial, at Southwark Crown Court in London will see the Cheshire-based former professional squash player appear alongside a former JJB supplier, David Ball and his business partner, David Harrington.

Mr Ronnie, was chief executive at Wigan-based JJB Sports between August 2007 and March 2009. He is charged with three counts of fraud relating to a failure to disclose interests in contracts entered into by the company, two money laundering offences and two offences of furnishing false information.

The case is expected to last up to eight weeks. Mr Ronnie’s co-accused, David Ball is an accountant and owner of a supplier to JJB, Fashion & Sport Limited. He is charged with three offences of furnishing false information and two counts of perverting the course of justice. Mr Barrington, his business partner, is charged with two counts of perverting the course of justice.

The men have denied all the allegations.

The charges are the result of a long-running investigation into JJB by the Serious Fraud Office.

Mr Ronnie was initially charged in 2012, but the court hearing has been delayed over a dispute concerning the legality of the SFO’s actions.

Mr Ronnie’s legal team led by Manchester-based regulatory lawyer Tony Barnfather of Slater & Gordon, raised questions over whether Phillippa Williamson, the former chief executive of the SFO, was legally entitled to take the decision to formally accept cases given that she is not a lawyer.

JJB collapsed into administration in 2012 with the loss of more than 3,000 jobs.

Rival Sports Direct bought 20 of the best-performing JJB stores, as well as the company’s office and warehouse at Martland Park, Wigan.

However, the collapse of the retailer led to the closure of 160 shops across the country and the disappearance of the JJB brand.