US Donald Trump has been served with legal papers at his Scottish businesses in a battle with a former British spy.
According to Mail Online, Sheriff officers were sent to Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire and the U.S. President’s Menie golf course in Aberdeenshire.
The dispute relates to ex-MI6 agent Christopher Steele, who claimed in an incendiary dossier that Russia possessed compromising sexual material relating to the President, which Mr Trump denies.
Mr Steele was awarded more than £600,000 in costs against Mr Trump after the tycoon’s unsuccessful attempt to sue him over what he insisted were ‘shocking and scandalous’ false claims.
The costs, which were awarded to Mr Steele’s company, Orbis Business Intelligence, at a High Court hearing in April, have yet to be paid – and are rising daily.
They will have increased by a further £2,000 by the time Mr Trump touches down in London for his State visit later this month.
The legal papers were served on Mr Trump on Tuesday, while John Swinney was in the U.S. to meet Mr Trump for talks on Scotch whisky tariffs.
Commenting on the move, an Orbis spokesman told the Mail: ‘The British legal system has demonstrated that, in this country at least, no-one is above the law.
‘We are nevertheless concerned that Donald Trump continues to be in breach of the English High Court and are alarmed by the outrageous costs of this vexatious case in wasted time and money, both for Orbis Business Intelligence and the UK courts.’
It is understood Orbis is seeking an ‘arrestment’ order from the courts which would prevent Mr Trump’s company in Scotland paying out dividends to shareholders.
While Mr Trump may argue that he enjoys Presidential immunity, Orbis will claim that he was not President when the dispute over Mr Steele’s allegations happened.
The President’s lawyers now have a month to respond to the papers served on Tuesday.