Charity wins fraud hearing

The Salvation Army yesterday won the first round in its case against one of the two men allegedly responsible for defrauding the charity of dollars 8.8m ( pounds 6m). The High Court granted a summary judgment against Stuart Ford, a Birmingham businessman, for the dollars 3.3m alleged to have passed through his hands. Leave to appeal was refused.

The judgment means the court decided that Mr Ford had no 'arguable defence' and that a judge can settle the case on the basis of sworn affidavits, obviating the need for a trial.