Litigation costs in Rangers' wrongful prosecution scandal are now in excess of £50 million, it has been confirmed.
Compensation payments were made after some of those involved in the administration and subsequent acquisition of the Premiership club were not prosecuted correctly. A judge-led inquiry is to take place once outstanding legal proceedings have concluded but The Scottish Parliament's Criminal Justice Committee has heard that costs had increased to 'just under £51m.'
This is desribed in government accounts as 'involvement with civil litigation brought against the Lord Advocate by individuals prosecuted in connection with the acquisition and administration of Rangers Football Club". Administrators David Whitehouse and Paul Clark were appointed in 2012 when the Ibrox side found themselves in financial peril and were arrested in 2014, although charges against the pair were later dropped. Both were awarded £10.5m in damages while former chief executive Charles Green and former director Imran Ahmad should never have been prosecuted, with Green getting £6m in compensation plus legal costs.
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Addressing committee members, John Logue from the Crown Office said: "As of yesterday, the stage at which the litigation had reached has now reached the point where the costs have increased to just under £51m."
That was in response to a question by Scottish Conservatives shadow community safety minister Russell Findlay, who according to the BBC, claimed the figures were 'shocking'
He added: "While it's reassuring to hear that this won't come from Crown budgets - it is a huge sum that should have been spent on vital public services," he said.
"This toxic episode saw innocent men targeted, it has contaminated Scottish justice and there may be more pay outs, yet absolutely no-one has been held to account."
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