Trump ‘debarred’ from High Court costs hearing

US President Donald Trump has been prevented from taking part in a High Court costs hearing, where a judge will calculate his bill for a failed legal challenge.

Mr Trump was ordered to pay an initial sum of £290,000 after losing a data protection claim last February against Orbis Business Intelligence, a consultancy founded by former MI6 officer Christopher Steele.

He was told to pay within 28 days after a hearing in January, or risk not being able to make representations where a judge will work out the full amount of his bill, which could rise to more than £600,000.

At a hearing on Tuesday before a specialist costs judge, Mr Trump was left unrepresented after being “debarred” for failing to pay the £290,000.

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'Sex parties'

Mr Trump’s failed challenge against Orbis was over allegations in the so-called Steele dossier, authored by Mr Steele.

They said Mr Trump had been “compromised” by Russia’s security service the FSB, while two memos claimed he had taken part in “sex parties” in St Petersburg and had “golden showers” with prostitutes in Moscow.

The dossier, made up of more than a dozen memos, was produced by Orbis in 2016 ahead of the US election at which Mr Trump became president for the first time, before it was leaked to, and published by, BuzzFeed in 2017.

In throwing out Mr Trump’s legal challenge last February, Mrs Justice Steyn said it was “bound to fail”, but that she had “not considered or made any determination as to the accuracy or inaccuracy” of the claims in the dossier.

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'State immunity'

Lawyers for Orbis told a previous hearing that Mr Trump had tried to claim “state immunity” to avoid paying the £290,000 and that his challenge was rejected by a senior judge in the Court of Appeal.

They said Orbis is seeking to claim total costs of £634,356.

At the hearing on Tuesday, Paul Arter, for Orbis, said it was “extremely hard and difficult” for Orbis to find solicitors willing to work for the hourly rate the consultancy offered, compared with the £750 per hour the US president was offering his solicitors.

He said: “When you have an opponent such as this it certainly adds some weight to this matter.

“The claimant is renowned for being an aggressive litigator, he certainly has a history of pursuing vendettas legally and that was certainly the position in this case.”

Costs Judge Jason Rowley is expected to decide the full final amount by the end of Thursday.