Sports Direct Boss Fights £13.6m Additional Tax Claim After 2012 Property Deals

  • Mike Ashley launches legal action against HMRC for data breaches
  • HMRC initially claimed £13.6m in additional taxes from Ashley
  • Ashley offloaded properties worth £88.6m to Sports Direct International in 2012
  • Data was provided 17 months after request, legal fees sought

Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley is taking legal action against HMRC, accusing the government body of making ‘extensive’ data protection breaches. The High Court heard that Ashley was met with a ‘complete stone wall’ when requesting his personal data after being informed of an additional £13.6m in taxes he owes. Despite HMRC admitting to breaching obligations, they are still defending the claim. In 2012, Ashley sold multiple properties worth £88.6m to Sports Direct International. HMRC initially claimed further taxes from Ashley but withdrew the notice in October 2022. His legal team claims HMRC provided data only after the request was made and is still breaching obligations on some data. A decision is expected at a later date.

Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate information about Mike Ashley’s legal action against HMRC for data protection breaches and includes relevant details about the case. It presents facts without sensationalism or personal opinions.
Noise Level: 2
Noise Justification: The article provides relevant information about Mike Ashley’s legal action against HMRC for data protection breaches and the ongoing case. It stays on topic without diving into unrelated territories and supports its claims with details from the court proceedings.
Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses financial matters related to taxes and tax evasion involving Mike Ashley, the owner of Sports Direct. However, it does not mention any direct impact on specific financial markets or companies.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Extreme Rating Justification:

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