Supreme Court judges are poised to deliver a final decision in the lengthy ownership saga of an Angus golf resort once dubbed Scotland’s Augusta.
In a televised ruling, the UK’s highest appellate court will determine whether Letham Grange, near Arbroath, will finally be placed into the hands of liquidator Matthew Henderson or its one-time Taiwanese owner Peter Liu.
The complex legal struggle over the Victorian mansion house and its two golf courses has led to more than a decade of courtroom battles, with ownership switching back and forth between the parties through a series of rulings.
As a popular sporting and function venue, Letham Grange was regarded as a jewel in the Angus tourism crown before hitting financial trouble back in 2001.
Liquidators were appointed a year later and the court battles have revolved around the sale of the country club an asset valued at £1.8 million for £250,000 to a company controlled by Mr Liu which put it beyond the liquidator’s reach.
The legal fight has already involved rulings in the House of Lords and the Court of Session.
Last spring, a panel of appeal court judges determined that through his involvement with the companies Nova Scotia Limited and Foxworth Investments Ltd, Mr Liu had made deliberate steps to keep a valuable asset away from the liquidator.
Appeal evidence revealed that the Taiwanese businessman had used a string of aliases to conduct his business affairs. One name, J. Michael Colby, was even unknown to his solicitor.
It had been hoped that decision would have cleared the way for the hotel and courses to be sold by the liquidator a committee has continued to ensure the running of the golf operation but that ruling led to the Supreme Court Appeal by Foxworth and NSL.
Lords Kerr, Sumpton, Reed, Carnwarth and Toulson heard the case on May 14 and the Letham Grange decision will be relayed live on the Supreme Court’s internet feed.