In a dramatic courtroom showdown at the Rolls Building, a fugitive vexatious litigant faced a major setback in his latest bid to reopen a seven-year-old case. The individual in question, Paul Millinder, evading a 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court, attempted to manipulate the legal system through an Edinburgh-registered company, Deuda Ltd. Despite a half-day hearing, Mr Justice Fancourt saw through the charade, ruling that the applications were, in fact, orchestrated by Millinder himself.
Millinder, already sentenced in 2022 for contempt related to breaches of a ‘vexatious litigant’ order, failed to surrender to custody, maintaining his contemptuous status. The applications filed in September 2023 sought the restoration of two companies linked to Millinder, with a peculiar demand for £5 million to be paid directly to him. The official receiver, Tom Shepherd, characterized these applications as a blatant attempt to rehash prior litigation.
During the hearing, a lay applicant, Paul Gregory, attempted to represent Deuda but faced resistance from the judge. Despite Gregory’s claims of Millinder’s immunity as a ‘witness in criminal proceedings,’ the judge pressed for clarity on his authority to appear. It was revealed that Gregory, having known Millinder for years, had no direct contact with the named director and shareholder of Deuda, ‘Martin Walsh.’ The judge admonished Gregory, warning against knowingly assisting Millinder, citing potential legal consequences.
In the lead-up to the hearing, Millinder’s guard slipped as he sent offensive emails to the court and the Government Legal Department, violating the existing order. Dismissing both applications, the judge imposed costs of £36,343.80 against Deuda Ltd.
#LegalDrama #VexatiousLitigant #CourtroomShowdown #JusticeDenied #LegalManipulation #ContemptOfCourt
lawrota.com 
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