Property developer McKillen faces £20m British court bill

Dublin-based property developer Patrick McKillen who lost a British High Court battle with two of the UK’s best-known businessmen — the Barclay twins — is facing a legal bill of about £20 million (€25m), a judge was told yesterday.

Patrick McKillen lost the legal fight with David Barclay and his twin Frederick over control of a £1 billion (€1.24bn) company which owns three of London’s most famous hotels earlier this year. Judge Mr Justice David Richards ruled against him in August, following a trial in London.

And yesterday the judge said Mr McKillen — who comes from Belfast but is based in Dublin — should pay all sides’ legal costs, following a further hearing in London.

Lawyers told him that total costs would add up to about £20m, although the exact bill has yet to be calculated.

Mr McKillen and the Barclay brothers were investors in Coroin — the company which owns and manages Claridge’s, the Connaught and the Berkeley hotels, the court heard.

Mr Justice David Richards dismissed Mr McKillen’s claims that “company affairs” had been conducted in a “manner unfairly prejudicial to his interests”.

The Barclay brothers disputed Mr McKillen’s claims and said that his allegations were designed to “tarnish” their reputations and to “embarrass” them.

Mr McKillen said that he aims to appeal against some aspects of the judgment.