Fleetwood Town owner Andy Pilley loses legal claim against council
He had accused a council investigating his business of unlawfully obtaining search warrants
Fleetwood Town's owner Andy Pilley has lost a legal claim against a council which had been investigating him and his business.
He had alleged that Cheshire West and Chester Council unlawfully obtained search warrants, as part of a long running fraud investigation.
The 52 year old's business, BES Utilities, and a number of other utility firms based in the Fleetwood and Blackpool areas of Lancashire had sued the council.
Council bosses denied all allegations and a High Court judge has ruled in their favour.
Mr Justice Freedman has dismissed claims made against the council, with the judge stating the case involved "non-domestic energy suppliers based in Fleetwood/Blackpool, Lancashire" working in the "small to medium-sized enterprise business market".
He said the litigation concerned "allegations about mis-selling" which had "brought about a criminal investigation".
Last week, Pilley was found guilty of multiple counts of fraud in a criminal trial, after it was alleged his business mis-sold energy contracts.
He is due to be sentenced at Preston Crown court on 3 July.
Pilley has been the chairman and owner of Fleetwood for 20 years and has overseen their rise from non-league status to the English Football League.