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Football Club

Chelsea FC settles racism claims

Success for James Counsell QC and Ben Bradley as Chelsea FC settle four claims for racist abuse

Four Claimants, all represented by James Counsell QC and Benjamin Bradley, have settled their claims for damages against Chelsea Football Club for undisclosed six figure sums in abuse proceedings. The Claimants settled their claims for damages against Chelsea Football Club for undisclosed six figure sums on 7th February at a pre-trial review hearing.  The claims, which were listed for a six week trial, involving 62 witnesses, in four weeks’ time alleged that two former employees, Graham Rix, the former England international footballer, and Gwyn Williams, whilst working for the club’s youth training programme in the 1990s, racially abused these four young black footballers when they were aged between 14 and 18. At a court hearing in May 2021, the High…

News 8 Feb, 2022

James Counsell QC secures costs against Blackpool FC in sexual abuse claim

In a judgment handed down on 20 March 2020, James Counsell QC obtained an indemnity costs order against Blackpool Football Club after the Judge, Griffiths J ,was critical of the Club for the way it refused even to enter into settlement discussions for its liability for sexual abuse offences by Frank Roper. The Court had earlier given judgment on liability and quantum on 13 March 2020 (read the earlier judgment here) in favour of the Claimant, known as DSN, in a claim for damages arising out of sexual abuse which he had suffered at the hands of Frank Roper, who worked for the club in the 1980s as a scout.  In that earlier judgment, Griffiths J had criticised the club for…

News 23 Mar, 2020

James Counsell QC successful in historical sex abuse claim against Blackpool FC

In the first of many cases in the pipeline to reach trial, James Counsell QC has obtained judgment against Blackpool FC for its liability for sexual abuse offences by scout Frank Roper in the 1980s. The case involved the responsibility of English professional football clubs for sexual abuse committed on young footballers in their charge.  James Counsell QC has obtained the first judgment of its kind against Blackpool Football Club for damages for its liability for sexual abuse committed by a convicted sex offender, Frank Roper during the time when Roper was working for the club as a scout in the 1980s. The Trial The Court heard that the Claimant, known as DSN at trial, was sexually abused when on…

News 16 Mar, 2020

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