Wolverhampton Wanderers badge claimant 'cannot pay' fees

A football fan who claimed to have designed his club's badge says he faces bankruptcy after losing a legal battle over the design.

Peter Davies, 72, said he submitted his version of the Wolverhampton Wanderers emblem for a competition in the 1960s.

His case was thrown out after he was unable to prove the design was copied, and Mr Davies was ordered to pay the club £250,000 by 29 May.

He said he has "no assets" and "obviously can't pay" the legal fees.

"I don't own anything," he said. "I've got a television and these bits of furniture in the house, about £600 in the bank - that's all I own."

Mr Davies, who rents a house in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, told the BBC he "really expected to win" and cried in court at the ruling.

He was represented by "no-win no-fee" law firm Keystone Law Limited.

It declined to comment when approached by the BBC, but Mr Davies said he had been informed of the risks if the case went against him.

John Linneker, a copyright expert, said it was an "awful situation" and hoped a compromise could be reached.

"The legal rules on paying costs are really harsh," he said.

"Individuals like Mr Davies rarely come before the High Court because if they lose and crash and burn they're left with a tonne of money to pay because the loser has to pay the winner's costs."

Although the designs "do look similar", Mr Linneker said a key component was to prove whether one was copied - something Mr Davies admitted he was unable to do.

"I do hope a compromise can be achieved," he said. "It's not a good look for Wolves if they're attempting to bankrupt one of their fans."

Wolverhampton Wanderers declined a request for comment.

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