10:14 am, March 20, 2026
A Big Motoring World executive involved in investigating misconduct claims against Peter Waddell was told that his office had been ‘bugged’ and his home placed under surveillance, the High Court has heard.
Tom Clarke works at the used car supermarket as a general counsel and sat on the investigation committee which, upheld complaints against Waddell prior to his departure.
It has now been revealed that after that investigation began, Clarke received threatening messages from Waddell, who suggested that his phone was being ‘tapped’.
Despite a sweep later revealing that the office and phone claim ‘wasn’t true’, Clarke says the incident still left him in ‘absolute shock’.
During cross-examination from Waddell’s barrister, Alan Gourgey KC, Clarke said yesterday (Mar 19): ‘I’ve been sent messages from Mr Waddell telling me that he’s watching me from my bedroom window, my telephone has been tapped, the office has been bugged.
‘I was in absolute shock, and I still am, frankly, at such disgraceful behaviour and such awful messages to receive, that has affected me, frankly, for the last two years.’
He added: ‘I wasn’t able to establish whether or not Mr Waddell had been watching my house.’
During his questioning, Gourgey questioned Clarke’s account and suggested the messages were simply being brought up as they provided ‘excellent evidence’ against Waddell.
He pointed to messages between Clarke and current Big Motoring World CEO, Laurance Vaughan, in which the latter described them as ‘excellent evidence’, before adding ‘Let’s forward to SH’ [part of the legal team].
Clarke denied the suggestion and said he had been ‘simply flabbergasted’ by the threatening messages.
Big Motoring World ‘dictatorship’
Elsewhere, talk also turned to the culture within Big Motoring World under Waddell’s leadership.
Clarke told the High Court in London the Scot ran the business like a ‘dictatorship’, with the HR department run by the 59-year-old and his sister, Barbara.
He added that, while general grievances were recorded, complaints about the founder were rarely formally logged.
‘It was very much a dictatorship at Big Motoring World,’ he said. ‘I certainly had the impression that things were regularly swept under the carpet.’
Clarke was also questioned about an incident between Waddell and Big Motoring World cleaner Beth Murphy in October 2023, when the CEO is alleged to have told her ‘I but you’d like to suck my c**k’.
Despite describing the matter as ‘serious’ in court, Clarke did not include it in the investigation committee’s so-called ‘Section 19 material events’ list – a document used to outline claims of misconduct.
When pressed by Gourgey on why it had been omitted, the witness claimed: ‘I clearly had forgotten it, otherwise I would have included it in the list.’
In his own evidence, earlier in the trial, Waddell insisted he and Murphy had enjoyed a joking relationship and that cleaner did not take any offence to the comment.
The trial so far…
- Peter Waddell says he was victim of Big Motoring World ‘coup’ as High Court trial gets underway
- Waddell ran ‘fiefdom’ and complained about ‘too many muslims’, court hears
- Peter Waddell accused of using disabilities as a ‘fig leaf’ as High Court trial continues
- ‘I wish I’d never sold to them’: Waddell tells court of regret in selling Big Motoring World
- Peter Waddell nicknamed employee ‘Ching the P***’ because ‘his father ran a corner shop’, court hears
- Daksh Gupta held talks over becoming Big Motoring World CEO after Marshall departure
- Weekly Briefing: High Court hears there was ANOTHER bidder for Big Motoring World
- Laurence Vaughan accused of being ‘paid by two masters’ as ‘secret’ payment is revealed
- Freshstream planned leadership change at Big Motoring World months before Waddell’s exit, court hears
- Waddell kept in the dark over misconduct allegations as investigation faces scrutiny
- Court hears Big Motoring World TrustPilot score fell after Waddell exit
- Vaughan tells court he didn’t oust Waddell for CEO role because he could have ‘got any job I wanted’
- Waddell accused of interfering with witnesses in Big Motoring World misconduct investigation
- Big Motoring World executives awarded ‘PW bonuses’ after Waddell was ousted from firm, court hears
- Big Motoring World executives mocked ‘rude a****ole’ Peter Waddell in WhatsApp groups
What happens now?
Waddell is currently suing Bluebell Cars – the ultimate holding company of Big Motoring World – for unfair dismissal, harassment and disability discrimination.
Today (Mar 20), is expected to see the final witnesses take to the stand, with disability experts set be called to speak about Waddell’s medical conditions.
Closing arguments will then be prepared throughout next week before they are delivered on the week commencing March 30 and Justice Marcus Smith finally delivers his verdict.
The trial continues.
