Allen Sicurella worked for mega-rich financier Richard Hanson for 17 years (Picture: Champion News)
A chauffeur has become entangled in a £500,000 lawsuit with his wealthy boss over claims he let a pal crash and wreck his employer’s prized Ferrari.
Allen Sicurella worked for mega-rich financier Richard Hanson for 17 years until the pair fell out when Mr Hanson accused him of letting a friend take the wheel of – and crash – his £380,000 Ferrari 458 Speciale.
Private equity chief Mr Hanson – who is reportedly worth £90 million and whose son Philip is a racing driver – fired his chauffeur, then hauled him to court seeking compensation for the £290,000 damage he claimed was done to his vehicle.
He also sued Mr Sicurella’s friend, Raymond Zarb, who was allegedly in the driving seat at the time of the June 2019 crash in Hampshire.
Allen Sicurella is being sued by his former boss Richard Hanson over claims he crashed his Ferrari (Picture: Champion News)
The case has been going on for three years, although it has yet to reach trial, but Mr Hanson’s claim against Mr Zarb ‘settled at an early stage’.
But the claim against Mr Sicurella is set to continue in a case which could end up costing him a ‘crippling’ £478,000 in damages and lawyers’ bills.
At the High Court last week, Mr Sicurella’s barrister, Angus Gloag, explained his case on the mystery of the crashed Ferrari to Judge Victoria McCloud.
‘It’s claimed that Mr Zarb crashed it, but Mr Sicurella’s case is that he was legitimately driving it, and there was an accident and that’s that,’ he said.
The chauffeur flatly denies having let his friend take the Ferrari’s wheel and says the fact that Mr Zarb’s crash injuries were mainly on the left side of his face supports his claim.
‘He says Mr Zarb was in the passenger seat,’ the barrister told the judge.
The judge heard that after repeatedly failing to disclose key evidence within a deadline set by the High Court, Mr Sicurella’s defence had been ‘struck out’ in November 2021.
Mr Sicurella was riding a Ferrari 458 Speciale with a passenger when the crash occurred (Picture: Champion News)
Judgement was entered against him and he was told to pay out £67,484 in damages, an amount which gave credit for the money Mr Hanson received in his settlement with Mr Zarb.
Last week, Mr Gloag asked for permission to resurrect Mr Sicurella’s defence and fight the multimillionaire’s claim, despite telling the judge that if he loses, another £66,000 will be added to his £345,000 court costs, leaving him facing a £478,000 bill.
‘The £67,000 judgement is dwarfed by costs of hundreds of thousands of pounds,’ said the barrister, adding: ‘this will cripple him and the impact is devastating for his family.’
Mr Hanson currently has a £412,000 ‘charging order’ held over Mr Sicurella’s £800,000 family home, because of the costs order against him, the judge heard.
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Following a short hearing, Judge McCloud agreed to reinstate his defence and allow the trial to go ahead.
The judge noted the long delay involved in the case and the fact that reviving the case will rob Mr Hanson of ‘the benefit of certainty and the conclusion of the litigation’.
But she added: ‘This case was going to trial and Mr Sicurella was going to have his day in court.
‘It seems to me there is sufficient merit on the arguable facts of the case that on balance justice wouldn’t be done by denying the right to defend.’
The judge gave Mr Sicurella permission to reinstate his defence, giving the green light for the trial to go ahead, but told him he must provide financial guarantees to ensure he can cover the estimated £66,000 extra costs of a two-day trial.
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Allen Sicurella was riding his bosses’ Ferrari 458 Speciale when the crash occurred.