Appeal of Adams v Carey case
RNS Number : 0756X
STM Group PLC
29 April 2021
STM Group Plc
("STM", the "Company" or the "Group")
Appeal of Adams v Carey case
STM Group Plc (AIM: STM), the cross-border financial services provider, announces that following the announcement made by the Company on 1 April 2021, its subsidiary company Options UK Personal Pensions LLP (formerly Carey UK Pensions LLP) ("Options") yesterday afternoon sought permission from the Supreme Court to appeal the recent judgment by the Court of Appeal in the long-standing Adams v Carey case. The original case was heard in March 2018 and relates to an investment made in 2012.
Options, and their advisers, consider that the Court of Appeal erred in law in its application of s.27 and s.28 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, including in its consideration of what acts constituted the underlying relevant activities. The Court of Appeal's findings in that respect are of significant general public importance and broader application to the entire financial services industry. These are issues which warrant consideration from the highest Court.
Alan Kentish, CEO of STM Group Plc, commented:
"It is a natural step for Options, having spoken with its advisers, to request leave to appeal to the Supreme Court. There are clearly some very significant factors here that will not only impact the SIPP market, but also the wider United Kingdom financial services market as a whole. It seems there could be significant unintended consequences flowing from the judgment.
"There are real risks for firms and third parties who may have inadvertently stepped over an unclear regulatory line. This is a wholly undesirable outcome for providers and firms involved in the financial services sector and will drive up costs for consumers. The whole market needs more guidance on this issue, and we hope that this would be forthcoming as part of any appeal to the Supreme Court."
For further information, please contact:
| STM Group Plc | |
| Alan Kentish, Chief Executive Officer Therese Neish, Chief Financial Officer | Via Walbrook PR www.stmgroupplc.com |
| FinnCap | www.finncap.com |
| Matt Goode / Emily Watts - Corporate Finance Tim Redfern / Richard Chambers - ECM | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7220 0500 |
| Walbrook | www.walbrookpr.com |
| Tom Cooper / Paul Vann | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7933 8780 |
| Mob: +44 (0) 797 122 1972 | |
| STM@walbrookpr.com |