Billionaire tycoon Sir Frederick Barclay settles long-running dispute with three nephews who bugged his conversations at the Ritz Hotel because they thought he posed a risk to the family business
- Billionaire businessman Sir Frederick Barclay had been in dispute with nephews
- It was over 94 hours of secret recordings made at London’s prestigious Ritz hotel
- He had launched a High Court bid against nephews Aidan, Howard and Alistair
- Family said in a statement that they had settled the ‘corporate espionage’ case
The billionaire Barclay family have today called a truce in their bitter row over the bugging of private businesses conversations at the Ritz hotel.
The family today announced they had settled the ‘corporate espionage’ legal fight at the High Court.
Billionaire property magnate Sir Frederick Barclay – whose business empire includes the parent company of the Daily Telegraph – had been involved in a dispute with three of his late brother Sir David’s sons.
It was over 94 hours of secret recordings made at London’s prestigious Ritz hotel – then part of the brothers’ business empire.
His lawyers previously described the bugging as being part of ‘commercial espionage on a vast scale’.
The High Court previously heard Aidan, Howard and Alistair had made the secret recordings at the London landmark over a number of months.
However, on Friday, the family said the case had been settled.
In a joint statement, the family said: ‘We are pleased that as a family we can put this difficult period behind us and now look forward to our future together.
Billionaire property magnate Sir Frederick Barclay (pictured left in 2004 with his now late twin brother Sir David Barclay) – whose business empire includes the parent company of the Daily Telegraph – had been involved in a dispute with three of his late brother Sir David’s sons
It was over 94 hours of secret recordings made at the Ritz (pictured) – then part of the brothers’ business empire
The High Court previously heard Aidan, Howard and Alistair had made the secret recordings at the London landmark over a number of months. Pictured: A CCTV still which appears to show Alistair Barclay placing a covert recording device in the conservatory of the Ritz Hotel
‘In these troubled times, unity within families is more important than ever.
‘We are grateful to all those who have helped us resolve this issue.’
Sir Frederick, 86, and daughter Amanda had brought legal action against the three brothers, Aidan’s son Andrew and Philip Peters, a director of a number of family companies, after the ‘elaborate system of covert recording’ came to light in January 2020.
At a High Court hearing last year the pair’s lawyers claimed that The Ritz had been sold for ‘half the market price’ after conversations between Sir Frederick and a Saudi investor, who was offering £1.3 billion for the hotel, were secretly recorded.
Sir Frederick, 86, and daughter Amanda (pictured here in 2009 with dancer Anton Du Beke) had brought the legal action
All five had admitted that ‘the recordings contained private and confidential information of the claimants’.
They also accepted that Sir Frederick and Amanda are ‘entitled to general damages’ for breach of confidence, misuse of private information and breach of data protection laws.
However, in their formal defence, they argued they thought it was ‘necessary and reasonable’ to bug The Ritz in order to protect the Barclay Group.
The settlement comes around a month after Sir Frederick’s divorce was said to be finalised.
Sir Frederick and Lady Hiroko Barclay had fought at a private trial in the Family Division of the High Court earlier this year, following the breakdown of a 34-year marriage.
Mr Justice Cohen ruled that Lady Hiroko should receive lump sums totalling £100million.
In the same ruing, he also blasted the Telegraph owner for selling a luxury yacht and keeping the proceeds for himself.
Mr Justice Cohen said Sir Frederick sold a luxury yacht and ‘applied the equity for his own use’ in breach of orders – something he described in his ruling as ‘reprehensible’.
The legal action was made against the three brothers, Aidan (right), Howard (left) and Alistair, Aidan’s son Andrew and Philip Peters, a director of a number of family companies
The settlement comes around a month after Sir Frederick’s divorce was said to be finalised. Sir Frederick and Lady Hiroko Barclay (pictured left) had fought at a private trial in the Family Division of the High Court earlier this year, following the breakdown of a 34-year marriage
He added: ‘Part of (Sir Frederick’s) available assets included a luxury yacht which was on the market for sale.
‘I made orders intended to control the sale and the use of the proceeds. He completely ignored those orders, sold the yacht, and applied the equity for his own use.
‘I regarded that behaviour as reprehensible.’
Sir Frederick and his twin brother Sir David were among the UK’s most high-profile businessmen until Sir David’s death, aged 86, in January.
Their interests included the Telegraph Newspaper Group – the parent group of the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Telegraph.
The family also has links to the Channel Islands and Monaco. Earlier this year, the Times Rich List puts the Barclay family as the richest in the Channel Islands despite being down £1 billion from last year.
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