Newcastle United challenge document seizure linked to tax investigation

A legal challenge has been launched by Newcastle United FC over documents seized from the club by officials conducting a tax probe.

A British High Court judge has banned members of the UK’s HM Revenue and Customs investigation team from examining, without the club’s consent, material taken in a raid carried out in April under search warrants issued by Leeds Crown Court.

Mr Justice Supperstone, sitting in London, said on Thursday the ban would continue until resolution of the club’s application for a judicial review against HMRC.

He directed that any material being retained by HMRC which is identified as attracting legal professional privilege must be returned to the club.

He also directed that the legal action involving the Magpies, who have just secured promotion to the Premier League, must return to court on June 22.

It is expected the club will then have to show that it has an arguable case to take to a full judicial review hearing.

At Thursday’s interim hearing no details of the grounds of the challenge were revealed in court.

During the day, lawyers for the club did not respond to requests for further information about the case.

HMRC lawyers said they could not provide any information.