1:58 pm, February 16, 2026
Peter Waddell has told the High Court that he was ousted as CEO of his second-hand car empire in a planned ‘coup’, as his much-anticipated trial got underway this morning.
Car Dealer has sent a reporter to the capital today (Feb 17) for the opening of proceedings, as Waddell seeks to regain control of Big Motoring World.
The motor trade tycoon, 59, was controversially removed as CEO from his Kent-based business back in 2024, following claims of gross misconduct.
He remains the majority shareholder of Big Motoring World but is unable to control the company he founded.
Waddell says the company has performed disastrously since he was replaced by new CEO Lawrence Vaughan who he accuses of being part of the plot to oust him.
The former CEO was accused of bullying and intimidating employees and an investigation upheld several complaints against him including that he used racist language.
He is fighting the dismissal and claims he only appears to shout at employees because he is deaf.
He has also says that because of his dyslexia he uses nicknames to help him remember people.
Waddell is claiming unfair dismissal, harassment and disability discrimination by Bluebell Cars – the ultimate holding company of Big Motoring World.
The six respondents are Bluebell Cars Bidco Ltd, Bluebell Cars Holding Ltd, Bluebell Cars Topco Ltd and Big Motoring World directors Lawrence Vaughan, Reza Fardad and Thomas Clarke.
Alan Gourgey, KC, representing Mr Waddell, described the sacking as a plot to oust Mr Waddell organised by Mr Vaughan, Mr Clarke and others.
Opening Waddell’s case today, Gourgey said: ‘These proceedings arise out of the actions of the investor in March and April 2024 in conjunction with the big companies in ousting Mr Waddell from his possession of the big group and taking control of the big group themselves instead of Mr Waddell.
‘The steps taken were invalid and Mr Waddell was wrongfully excluded and removed.
‘We contend the steps taken, the investigation, suspension and dismissal of Mr Waddell all took place pursuant to a carefully conceived plan hatched by the investor in conjunction with the chairman and Mr Clarke in the proceeding months.
‘A plan which was not disclosed to Mr Waddell – this all took place behind his back.
‘Mr Clarke and Mr Vaughan had much to gain financially and professionally if Mr Waddell lost control and much to lose if he stayed in control, notwithstanding their minority shareholding.’
Gourgey added that Clarke and Vaughan had a call option which they failed to take advantage of.
He continued: ‘In executing that plan the investor acted in breach of terms and purported to exercise rights it did not have, enthusiastically assisted by Mr Vaughan and others.
‘Mr Waddell was not given an opportunity to present his case and that investigation was unfair and discriminatory in relation to his disabilities.’
Gourgey said there was a failure to inform Waddell of the allegations against him and he was then given less than a week to make a written response after being handed 700 pages of documentation ‘without explanation’.
He said this was particularly unacceptable due to Waddell’s dyslexia.
‘The whole unfair process which was managed by Mr Vaughan and Mr Clarke who had an obvious conflict of interest culminated in the abrupt curtailing of the investigation to the obvious discomfort of the investigator – before Mr Waddell had been interviewed,’ Gourgey told the Royal Courts of Justice.
‘Following the successful removal of Mr Waddell and replacement by Mr Vaughan as CEO the business had performed disastrously.
‘Mr Waddell has been powerless to stop the decline of the business he continues to be a majority shareholder of.
‘It would not be an understatement to describe this as a coup.’
Waddell accused of ‘ever worsening and erratic’ behaviour
George Spalton, KC, representing Reza Fardad, partner at Big Motoring World’s investor Freshstream, said Waddell was advancing a narrative that there was an 18 month plot to oust him.
‘This not only ignores Mr Waddell’s egregious misconduct but also ignores the vast majority of the material which illustrates they were all trying to do their best by this business acting properly, professionally and in good faith,’ he told the court.
He said there were allegations against Waddell ‘of the most serious kind’ including sexism and bullying and that his behaviour had been ‘ever worsening and erratic’.
He said that Fardad and others agonised over whether to exercise their call option but decided not to.
The KC said that Waddell removed individuals from WhatsApp chats before his dismissal before his behaviour escalated and he became ‘significantly verbally abusive’.
He added that performance at the company was poor under Waddell and that the industry heavyweight had failed to engage with Freshstream’s ‘valid concerns’ about what was going on. He also told the court that starting an investigation into Waddell’s misconduct was ‘clearly the right thing to do’.
Going forward, he insisted that Freshstream wanted to build the business and did not want to strip it of assets.
‘Throughout the last two years my client has worked alongside others to build the business,’ he said.
‘We’re not sitting here in a situation where assets were stripped.
‘We submit the claimants are wrong in their analysis of performance. It admittedly did struggle at the end of 2024 but has picked up materially.’
The High Court denied Waddell a temporary injunction in June 2024 which would have restored his voting rights at the group.
Waddell was taken into care at a children’s home in Fairlie, North Ayrshire as a child and lived on the streets of Glasgow as a teenager.
He moved south and from his base in Teynham, Kent, he built Big Motoring World, selling 60,000 motors a year and worth around £500m.
Car Dealer reported earlier this month that his Grade-I listed 56-room mansion Holwood House near Bromley, Kent, is currently on the market.
The trial continues and is expected to last up to seven weeks.
Story was originally published at 13:58 and updated at 15:16.
