Former JJB Sports CEO to stand fraud trial

The former chief executive officer of JJB Sports, Chris Ronnie, is set to stand trial today, after being accused of a one million pound fraud, which thought to have occurred prior to retailer's collapse into administration in 2012. The trial, taking place at Southwark Crown Court in London, sees Ronnie who was CEO at JJB Sports

between August 2007 and March 2009, stand trial alongside a former JJB Sports supplier, David Ball and his business partner, David Barrington.

Ronnie charged with three accounts of fraud

Ronnie has been charged with three accounts of fraud in relation to failing to disclose interests in contracts entered into by the company, two money laundering offenses and two offenses of furnishing false information.

Ball, accountant and owner of a former supplier to JJB, has been charged with three offenses of furnishing false information and two counts of perverting the course of justice. Barrington, Ball's business partner, is charged with two counts of perverting the course of justice.

All three men have denied the accusations. The charges brought against the men are the result of a long-term investigation into JJB Sports by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). Ronnie was initially charged back in 2012, but the court hearing had been delayed due to a legal dispute surrounding the SFO's actions.

Tony Barnfather, the lawyer which led the legal team defending Ronnie, questioned whether Philippa Williamson, the former CEO of SFO, was entitled to make the decision to formally accept cases, given that she is not a lawyer.

The case is expected to last eight weeks and will most likely include a number of key figures from the sportswear industry being called in as witnesses, including the former finance director of Sports Direct. After JJB Sports fell into administration in 2012, Sports Direct acquired 20 of its best-performing stores as well as the retailer's offices in Wigan and transformed them into Sports Direct stores.

The remaining 160 stores were shut down, which led to the loss of over 3,000 jobs and the disappearance of the JJB Sports brand, which has been trading on the high street for more than 40 years prior to entering administration.