BL-2022-002117 - [2025] EWHC 2794 (Ch)

Fecha: 28-Oct-2025

Heading

Neutral Citation Number: [2025] EWHC 2794 (Ch)

Case No: BL-2022-002117

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE

BUSINESS AND PROPERTY COURTS OF ENGLAND AND WALES

CHANCERY DIVISION (ChD)

Royal Courts of Justice, Rolls Building,

Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1NL

Date: 28 October 2025

Before :

MR JUSTICE RAJAH

Between :

(1) MR PETER MARPLES

(2) MRS SARAH MARPLES

(3) MR LEE MARPLES

(4) MR THOMAS MARPLES

Claimants

- and –

SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EDUCATION

Defendant

Adam Solomon K.C. and Alexander Halban (instructed by DWF Law LLP) for the Claimants

James Segan K.C., Tom Cleaver and Zara McGlone (instructed by The Government Legal Department) for the Defendant

Hearing dates: 17 to 27 June 2025, 9 to 10 July 2025

APPROVED JUDGMENT

CONTENTS

		Page
A.	Introduction	4
B.	The witnesses	6
C.	Expert evidence of Vivian Cohen	10
C.1	The application to revoke permission to rely on Mr Cohen’s evidence	10
C.2	The relevant principles	11
C. 3	The facts of this case	12
C. 4	Decision	17
D.	The facts	18
D.1	The SFA	19
D.2	Carter & Carter	19
D.3	The Company and the Funding Agreement	20
D.4	2015: The proposed Inflexion acquisiton, Information Memorandum and Baker Tilly report	22
D.5	Appointment of Sir Peter Lauener	25
D.6	Nick Linford and FE Week	25
D.7	2016: The Apprenticeship Levy and proposed Non-Levy Cap	28
D.8	Autumn/Winter 2016: The Trilantic Acquisition	30
D.9	December 2016: The ‘blood pressure’ email	38
D.10	The 13 December 2016 meeting	39
D.11	December 2016 – January 2017: The Decision Letter and aftermath	41
D.12	Further attempts to sell the business	47
D.13	2017-2018: Emergence of irregularities in 3AAA’s records	48
E.	Misfeasance in public office	51
E.1	The constituent elements of the tort	51
E.2	The pleaded claim	53
E.3	Targeted malice - a specific intent to injure	53
E.4	Discussion – targeted malice	55
E.5	Discussion - untargeted malice	59
F.	The claim in negligence	61
F.1	A duty of care	61
F.2	Pure economic loss	63
F.3	Assumption of responsibility	65
F.4	Communications crossing the line	67
F.5	The task	69
F.6	A White v Jones lacuna	71
F.7	Conclusion on duty of care	72
G.	Loss	73
H.	Comments on Quantum	75
H.1	“Net Cash Consideration”	75
H.2	Value of Claimants’ shares in December 2016	77
H.3	The significance of data manipulation	78
I.	Conclusion	81

Mr Justice Rajah :