CI Co-op will not have to pay £3.5m
The Channel Islands Co-op has won its appeal against paying £3.5 million in damages to its former CEO.
Jersey's Royal Court previously ruled that former CEO Colin MacLeod had been a victim of a campaign by senior figures to force him from office, causing psychiatric injury and significant financial losses.
However, on Friday 4 September, a Court of Appeal judge overturned the decision to pay damages.
The judge told the court Mr MacLeod's mental breakdown "was not reasonably foreseeable because he didn't have a known history of psychiatric illness".
However, the court has upheld the facts of the case: namely that he was bullied and mistreated by senior members of the company.
In December 2025, the court ruled that Co-op had breached its duty of care towards Mr MacLeod following what they said was a sustained campaign by senior figures to force him from office, and which caused him psychiatric injury and significant financial losses.
The judge therefore awarded Mr MacLeod £3.5 million in damages.
In May 2026, he was granted an interim payment of £600,000 from that £3.5 million award, while this Co-op appeal was pending, for outstanding legal fees and repayment of a loan from his parents.
Employment lawyers have told ITV News today that if Mr MacLeod has received that money, he will now have to pay it all back.
He can also take proceedings to the Privy Council if he wishes to appeal further. ITV News contacted Mr MacLeod for comment, who said that he is still processing the decision.
ITV News have also approached the Channel Islands Co-op for a response.