Firm linked to bra tycoon Michelle Mone begins court battle over dodgy Covid kit
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A FIRM linked to bra tycoon Michelle Mone has begun a court battle to keep £122million it received for dodgy Covid protection kit.
UK health chiefs are suing PPE Medpro — which Baroness Mone, 53, and her husband Doug Barrowman, 60, both from Glasgow, had denied for years they were involved with
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A firm linked to bra tycoon Michelle Mone will appear in court
Credit: Corbis
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The bra tycoon and husband Doug Barrowman
Credit: Getty
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Michelle Mone ahead of the State Opening of Parliament
Credit: PA
The High Court in London was told 25million surgical gowns had been rejected as unsuitable for the NHS as it was deemed 'non-sterile' with 'invalid technical labelling'.
It was later revealed that Baroness Mone had lobbied Tory ministers on behalf of the consortium.
Both deny wrongdoing, as do Medpro over gowns supplied in 2020.
Paul Stanley KC, for the Department of Health and Social Care, said 'initial contact with the firm came through Baroness Mone' and she remained 'active throughout'.
But he added her communications were 'not part of this case', which was 'about compliance'.
PPE Medpro won two contracts worth over £200million via the UK Government's 'VIP lane' procurement process.
TELLY HOST'S SHOCK
By Matt Bendoris
BBC host Laura Kuenssberg has revealed the interview that 'sticks' with her the most is when Michelle Mone confessed to being a liar.
Scots bra tycoon Mone spent two years fiercely denying through an army of lawyers any involvement with the firm PPE Medro, which had earned over £200million worth of Government contracts to supply face masks and surgical gowns during the Covid pandemic.
But in 2023 it was revealed that the Tory life peer and her three adult children had received £29million from the company via her second husband Doug Barrowman.
That led to a 'Prince Andrew-style' TV showdown with the politics presenter on her weekly show Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
Appearing alongside Barrowman, 60, Baroness Mone, 53, made the jaw-dropping confession: 'I can't see what we've done wrong. Lying to the press is not a crime.'
Read more HERE
It was later revealed Mr Barrowman had received more than £65million in profits from the contracts.
And he confirmed he transferred £29million from the firm into a trust benefiting Baroness Mone and her three children.
Neither the Tory peer nor her husband are expected to give evidence during the trial.
The UK Government is seeking to recover the costs of the contract plus transport and storage expenses. Trial continues.
Carol Vorderman reignites feud with ex-pal Michelle Mone in furious rant on This Morning
Meanwhile Mone's ex-lawyer has denied telling her to lie about links to a scandal-hit firm.
Jonathan Coad insisted the Scots bra tycoon's allegation that he did was 'not true'.
Baroness Mone, 53, blamed him for her three-year refusal to confirm her connection to PPE Medpro — given £200million for Covid protection kit and now being probed by cops.
Mr Coad, 67, said: 'I did not advise her she should keep her involvement secret.
"The suggestion she did so by taking the advice of her lawyers is just not true.
"To have Baroness Mone make allegations against me of serious impropriety was potentially very damaging."
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