Kibble spent thousands on defamation court case

Charity paid for action against ex Saints director

- EDEL KENEALY

Kibble education and care centre spent an estimated tens of thousands of pounds paying the legal fees of two employees who brought a defamation case against former St Mirren director Alan Wardrop.

Documents seen by the Express show how charitable funds were being used to cover the court bills of chief executive Jim Gillespie and director of corporate services Mark MacMillan.

The pair - who represent Kibble on the Buddies board - lodged a defamation case against Mr Wardrop at Edinburgh's Court of Session following claims they had acted dishonestly regarding proposals to build a children's welfare centre in Ferguslie Park.

The charity told the Express Mr Wardrop had "blackened Kibble's reputation".

However, the organisation was not named as a claimant in the civil action brought by the two men.

The legal documents claimed Mr Wardrop's actions had led to reputational harm to them as individuals.