The ex-owner of BHS, Dominic Chappell, is a “premier league liar” who threatened to kill the high street chain’s former chief executive, MPs are told.
Darren Topp alleged Mr Chappell (pictured above) threatened to kill him when he questioned him over a £1.5m transfer of BHS money to Sweden.
The chain’s former chief executive said Mr Chappell told him: “If you kick off about it, I’ll come down there and kill you.”
Mr Topp was appearing in front of the Commons business and pensions committees, which are investigating events surrounding the collapse of BHS, which Mr Chappell bought from Sir Philip Green for £1.
He said Mr Chappell’s assurances on buying BHS “unravelled and, rather than putting money in, he had his fingers in the till”.
Former BHS financial consultant Michael Hitchcock told the committees Mr Chappell was a “premier league liar and a Sunday pub league retailer”.
Last week, administrators to the department store chain called time on trying to find a buyer, resulting in the loss of up to 11,000 jobs and leaving behind a £571mn pensions black hole.
Also questioned by MPs, Mr Chappell said BHS would have been “saveable” if Sir Philip had helped the company after selling it.
He said Sir Philip “genuinely thought” BHS would fail, but sold it anyway, and had blocked blocked a rescue attempt by Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley.
“Mike Ashley was going to save the business, but Sir Philip Green was screaming down the phone, saying he didn’t want to get involved with Mike Ashley.”
Hitting back at Mr Topp, he claimed that BHS’s trading under the chief executive had deteriorated so badly that he had appointed head hunters to find a new boss and finance director.