Leslie Buckley must pay costs of failed bid to have INM inspectors revoked Justice Garrett Simons orders former INM chairman to pay substantial legal fees
Mon, Apr 12, 2021, 18:26
Former Independent News & Media chairman Leslie Buckley has been ordered to pay most of the substantial legal costs of his failed bid to revoke the High Court’s appointment of two inspectors into various matters at the media group.
Mr Justice Garrett Simons ruled on Monday that Mr Buckley should pay the legal costs incurred by the inspectors, Sean Gillane SC and Richard Fleck CBE, in opposing the eight-day hearing of the application.
Former Independent News & Media (INM) chairman Leslie Buckley has failed in an application seeking to revoke the appointment of inspectors investigating a major suspected data breach at the company in 2014.
Mr Buckley wanted the appointment of barrister Sean Gillane SC and solicitor Richard Fleck revoked on grounds of “objective bias”, claiming they omitted key evidence from a draft interim report.
However, the application has been rejected by the High Court with Mr Justice Garrett Simons finding it had to be refused as it was irreconcilable with case law of the Supreme Court.
The decision paves the way for the inspectors to continue their investigations.