A LEGAL threat made against the Advertiser in an attempt to force us to identify sources behind an investigation into the collapse of a transport company has been dropped.
Solicitors representing FRP Advisory, the administrators of Ruskin Private Hire, wrote to the Advertiser last week, requesting we hand over all documents and stop writing about the company or face court action.
It set a deadline of March 18 to comply to the demands – which we publicly refused to do.
However, that deadline passed and, today (Thursday), FRP confirmed it will not take action against either the paper or its reporter, at least for the moment.
The threat followed a special report by the Advertiser into Ruskin's claim for £2.5 million compensation from Croydon Council and the lengths the administrators were going to in order to obtain evidence connected to the case.
Ruskin Private Hire took 252 disabled and special needs children in Croydon to and from school – and hundreds more across London – before it was placed in administration on February 14.
Sources – former senior employees of the firm – blame its downfall on the council. It was seeking compensation following losses incurred as a result of the termination of its original contract in 2010, after serious flaws were found in the way the authority outsourced the service.
A spokesman said: "FRP Advisory confirms it will not be taking any action against the Croydon Advertiser while they review information which the joint administrators have recently located.
"The joint administrators reserve their rights pursuant to their relevant statutory duties to take such steps as are necessary in the future."
