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Defence is split over Farepak probe

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 05:39 EDT, 17 February 2011

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Former non-executive directors of failed hamper firm Farepak are trying to distance themselves from the executive team, as the Insolvency Service launches disqualification proceedings.

Probe: More than 116,000 people lost money when Farepak failed

Those who worked as independent directors of Farepak's parent company, European Home Retail, have engaged separate lawyers to the former executive team, amid disagreements about how best to put forward the case for the defence.

The Insolvency Service is trying to disqualify all nine former EHR board members from acting as company directors, accusing them of taking unreasonable risks.

More than 116,000 people lost an average of £317 after the failure of Farepak.

All directors are planning to defend themselves.

It is thought that former non-executives, who include Sir Clive Thompson who used to run Rentokil Initial, and outgoing Blacks Leisure chief Neil Gillis, believe they have a very strong case as they were directors of the holding company rather than Farepak itself.

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