J90PE914 & K00LU633 - [2025] EWHC 2640 (KB)

Having mentioned the possibility of such an application in open court, the application was formally made on 13 June 2025 to strike out both claims and to award costs on an indemnity basis, this application to be dealt with at the same time as the judgment. Counsel for the first defendant relies upon the witness statement of Juliet Schalker, a partner at his instructing solicitors Debenhams Ottaway LLP, dated 13 June 2025 in support of the application. Ms Schalker has supervision of the solicitor with conduct of the case for the first defendant and she sets out in her statement the chronology of the litigation and the difficulties there have been with disclosure. I will not repeat that statement in full, but summarise what she says. Counsel for the claimants have responded in writing to the submissions made on behalf of the first defendant.