Ex employees agree to withhold publication
Jacqueline Gold, Chief Executive of Ann Summers Ltd, succeeded in obtaining a final injunction against two former employees on 22 February to prevent them publishing a book which threatened to disclose personal and sensitive information about Ms Gold’s home and family life.
Allison Cox was employed by Ms Gold as a nanny to her daughter, Scarlett, between September 2009 and October 2010. On 4 March 2011, following an incident in which Miss Cox had introduced car windscreen wash fluid into Ms Gold’s food, Miss Cox was convicted at Guildford Crown Court on her guilty plea of administering a poison to Ms Gold with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy. Miss Cox was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment of which she served 3 months before being released from prison on 4 June 2011.
Leanne Bingham worked in the human resources department of Ann Summers Ltd before being employed by Ms Gold as a cleaner in her home for a period of about 7 weeks during 2010.
In January this year Ms Gold learned that Miss Cox and Miss Bingham were writing a book together based on their alleged experiences working for her and successfully applied to the Court for an injunction to prevent them from breaching their legal obligations to respect her privacy and confidentiality.
Although Miss Cox and Miss Bingham denied that Miss Cox had had any involvement in the book, both women yesterday consented to a final and permanent injunction being granted against them, thereby bringing the proceedings to an end.
Jacqueline Gold and Ann Summers Ltd were represented in the case by Henri Brandman of Henri Brandman & Co solicitors who instructed barrister Godwin Busuttil of 5RB.