Businesswoman, 47, behind Newcastle Utd takeover branded ‘dolly bird’ and ‘tart’ by Barclays bosses

Businesswoman, 47, Amanda Staveley was branded a ‘dolly bird’ and ‘tart’ by two Barclays bosses in call about unsecured £2bn loan to Qatari investors at height of 2008 crash, High Court hears

  • Court was given Barclays bosses Richard Boath and Roger Jenkins call transcript
  • Amanda Staveley claims the bank owes her £1.6billion over a Qatari deal
  • Boath referred to her as ‘that dolly bird’ while Jenkins called her ‘the tart’ in call
  • Staveley says her firm PCP wasn’t treated fairly and owed money for work it did  

A businesswoman embroiled in a £1.6 billion High Court battle with Barclays was referred to as a ‘dolly bird’ and a ‘tart’ by former bank chiefs.

The terms used by two then Barclays bosses to describe Amanda Staveley, in a telephone call during the financial crisis 12 years ago, emerged at a High Court trial on Thursday.

Richard Boath referred to Ms Staveley as ‘that dolly bird’ during an evening call with Roger Jenkins in October 2008. Mr Jenkins then referred to her as ‘the tart’.

Ms Staveley, 47, has made complaints about the behaviour of Barclays bosses when negotiating investment deals during the 2008 crisis 12 years ago.

Amanda Staveley claims the bank owes her £1.6billion over their part in a Qatari deal

She says Barclays agreed to provide an unsecured £2 billion loan to Qatari investors, but the loan was ‘concealed’ from the market, shareholders and PCP Capital Partners, a private equity firm she runs.

PCP is suing the bank and wants £1.6 billion in damages.

Mr Justice Waksman began overseeing a trial on June 8. It is due to end in August.

Lawyers representing PCP had referred to the telephone conversation between Mr Boath and Ms Staveley early in the trial.

Former Barclays boss Roger Jenkins at court on July 9

Barclays executive Richard Boath pictured on February 28

Call transcript revealed Richard Boath (right, earlier this year and Roger Jenkins (left, pictured today) referred to Ms Staveley as ‘that dolly bird’ while Jenkins called her ‘the tart’

The detail of words used emerged on Thursday, when Mr Jenkins, who was Barclays’ executive chairman of Middle East business in October 2008, began giving evidence and a transcript of the call was made available to journalists.

Mr Justice Waksman has already heard evidence from Ms Staveley and witnesses called by PCP.

Ms Staveley, who in recent months has been involved in brokering a deal which could see a Saudi consortium take control of Newcastle United FC, says PCP introduced Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour to Barclays and he ‘subscribed’ to invest £3.25 billion.

She says PCP is owed money for the work it did.

Barclays disputes PCP’s claim and says it is made ‘of sand’.