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(Adds background, quote from judge)
DUBLIN, Dec 23 (Reuters) - The Irish High Court on Monday
rejected Ryanair's attempt to prevent operations chief
Peter Bellew from joining rival easyJet until 2021,
saying a 12-month non-compete clause was unenforceable.
Ryanair said it had instructed its lawyers to immediately
appeal.
During two weeks of hearings, Ryanair argued that Bellew
possessed information of significant competitive value and was
bound by a non-compete clause that should prevent him from
starting work at the British airline in January.
Former Malaysia Airlines chief executive Bellew, denied he
was subject to the clause, which was attached to a share option
scheme he said was valueless, and argued that the restriction
was overly broad.
Judge Senan Allen said that although the non-compete clause
was valid, it was unjustifiably restrictive by preventing Bellew
from joining any airline, not just those in the same market
segment as Ryanair.
"I find that the covenant in this case, properly construed,
would prevent the defendant from taking up employment with any
European airline, including the legacy carriers, and so goes
beyond what the plaintiff has shown to be justified," Allen said
in his judgment.
(Reporting by Conor Humphries, editing by Louise Heavens and
Jane Merriman)
