Former JJB boss faces fraud trial

Mr Ball is an accountant and owner of a supplier to JJB, Fashion & Sport Limited. He is charged with three offences of furnishing false information and two counts of perverting the course of justice. Mr Barrington, his business partner, is charged with two counts of perverting the course of justice.

The men have denied the allegations.

The charges are the result of a long-running investigation into JJB by the Serious Fraud Office. It began after the Office of Fair Trading examined allegations of price-fixing between JJB and rival Sports Direct, which is controlled by Mike Ashley, owner of Newcastle United Football Club. The charges are not connected to this initial investigation into price-fixing, which did not result in charges.

Mr Ronnie was initially charged in 2012, but the court hearing has been delayed over a dispute concerning the legality of the SFO’s actions.

Mr Ronnie’s legal team raised questions over whether Phillippa Williamson, the former chief executive of the SFO, was legally entitled to take the decision to formally accept cases given that she is not a lawyer.

JJB collapsed into administration in 2012 with the loss of more than 3,000 jobs.

Sports Direct bought 20 of the best-performing JJB stores, as well as the company’s offices in Wigan.

However, the collapse of the retailer led to the closure of 160 shops across the country and the disappearance of the JJB brand.

JJB was founded by Dave Whelan in 1971 and traded on the high street for more than 40 years before its collapse.

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