Bill for botched Rangers inquiry close to £60m

More than £40m has already been paid to people who were wrongly prosecuted and now the multinational finance firm that managed the club’s affairs after it entered administration in 2012 has obtained damages of about £15.5 million.

Kroll, which was formerly called Duff & Phelps, had begun legal action against the Crown Office for reputational damage but came to a settlement with the prosecution service last week.

A source close to the case told The Times: “Kroll settled their claim with the Crown following mediation. It is appalling that these vast sums of money are having to be paid from the public purse.”

Craig Whyte, 51, who bought Rangers for £1 from Sir David Murray in 2011, was arrested over an allegedly fraudulent buyout of the club in 2015 but was cleared in court in 2017.

Six others were charged, among them David Grier, David Whitehouse and Paul Clark of Duff & Phelps. Messrs Clark and Whitehouse have already secured £21m in damages as well as an apology from the Lord Advocate.

Charles Green, who became chief executive of the club, received £6.4m in compensation.

A Crown Office spokesman said: “There is [a] process of mediation and as this matter remains before the court it is not appropriate to comment in detail at this time.”