Artisanal Sp.co Regulatory News (ART)

6 Dec 2007 14:31

Artisan (UK) PLC06 December 2007 ARTISAN (UK) PLC ARTISAN SUCCEEDS IN STRIKING OUT LITIGATION Artisan (UK) plc ("Artisan" or "the Company") is pleased to report that, on 5thDecember 2007, the High Court struck out Infiniteland Limited's and Mr JohnAviss' new action, as an attempt to re-litigate claims which have already beendismissed by the Courts and, as such, an abuse of the process of the Courts. Theclaimants were ordered to pay Artisan's legal costs in connection with thestriking out application, with £24,000 on account of such costs to be paidwithin 14 days. On 26th November 2007, Artisan had announced that Infiniteland Limited and MrJohn Aviss had served a claim on the Company, attempting to re-open thelitigation relating to the sale of Bickerton Construction Limited in 2001.Artisan stated its intention to apply for the new claim to be struck out, and topress for the earliest possible hearing of that application. Hearing the Company's application, His Honour Judge Purle QC described theclaimants' new action as "a manifest and obvious abuse". The Judge refused the claimants leave to appeal against his order to the Courtof Appeal. Artisan will know by the end of this month if the claimants intend toattempt to persuade the Court of Appeal to give leave to appeal. Any suchattempt will be resisted equally vigorously by the Company and its legal team. Michael Stevens, Chairman of Artisan, said: "Infiniteland and Mr Aviss have dragged this litigation well beyond a sensiblepoint: at each stage of litigation, of which this is the latest, their claimshave been successfully refuted. It is to be hoped that they will now desist, astheir repeated attempts have wasted funds and have necessarily proven adistraction to the management team at Artisan." Enquiries to: Artisan (UK) plcChris Musselle Chief Executive 01480 436666 email@artisan-plc.co.uk Brewin Dolphin Securities Limited Nominated advisers 0845 270 8613Andrew Kitchingman Bankside Consultants Financial PR advisers 020 7367 8888Simon Rothschild 07703 167065 Company website: www.artisan-plc.co.uk This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange