Male model sued by Naomi Campbell's former agency for 'poaching models'

A male model who became one of the country's top talent spotters is being sued by Naomi Campbell's former agency for poaching rising stars.

Jon Bruce is accused of "diverting away" models and passing on confidential information to his own rival agency whilst still employed by Premier Model Management Ltd.

Carole White: the outspoken model agent

The spat has reached the High Court, with Rupert Butler, for Premier, accusing Mr Bruce in court of "perpetrating a very serious fraud" whilst working for Premier as a booker and of breaching his contract of employment.

Mr Bruce was so good at his job that at times he generated a third of Premier's income, was dismissed from his position on July 24, and he was served with court papers on the same day.

It is alleged that he tried to gain an unfair competitive advantage for a new model management venture, Paulo Ribero Management Ltd (PRM), which he set up in January this year with his business partner, Paulo Ribero, the court heard.

The allegations of diverting models relate to three individuals who are on the books of PRM, Mr Butler told the court, including Brazilian rising star, Talita Correa, and Matthew Holbrook, a Rochdale model, who was the runner up of C4's Model Behaviour show. The third has not been named.

Mr Butler told the court: "What we have here is a case of real damage that has been perpetrated on the claimant and we want to get on with this case and find out exactly what the damage is, so we can get on with rectifying the situation with our customers, our clients and models.

Asking for the judge to make an interim order that Mr Bruce disclose to his former employers "all confidential information or property in his possession that belonged to Prermier, he added: "There is a prima facie case that a very serious fraud has been perpetrated."

He said Premier was seeking the order because "Mr Bruce still isn't coming to heel and doing that which he needs to do to remedy the situation he had created".

He said: "Mr Bruce has acted for eight or nine months completely behind our backs and deceitfully. We don't know what he's done. We want him to tell us what he's been up to."

Emily Betts, for Mr Bruce, Mr Ribero and PRM, asked for the application for the "onerous order" to be rejected, saying that it would unfairly restrict Mr Bruce's ability to earn a living when no wrongdoing has been proved against him.

She described Mr Bruce as "good at his job, well known in the industry and he has a lot of contacts", saying the claim was "an attempt to stifle him and prevent him earning money doing his job and using his skills elsewhere".

She said: "The claimant has not shown what this unfair competitive advantage that the defendant has gained is. We contend that his summary dismissal was wrongful. They should not have dismissed him but they did."

Denying there had been any wrongdoing, let alone fraud, by Mr Bruce, Miss Betts added: "The claimants contacted him to say they were concerned about his loyalty to the business.

"They put the case that he was working for PRM during his employment...He said he was willing to talk to them about that but didn't hear anything back until he received a claim form."

Judge Kent, delivering his ruling, allowed Premier Models' application for disclosure, giving Mr Bruce seven days in which to produce the material requested.

The judge said: "This is case where it is alleged that Mr Bruce, who was an employee of the claimant since 2007, has been in breach of the terms of his employment contract by taking steps to set up a rival business with his business partner Mr Ribero from January this year.

"It is said that he has been passing on copyrighted information and other material with a view to gaining an advantage for the rival business. There is a clear prima facie case of a flagrant breach of those obligations which Mr Bruce owed.

"This is a case where serious allegations are made that £850 was charged to clients of Premier Models which related to a model of PRM's. I don't see how that can be anything but an attempt to defraud Premier Models.

"In all the circumstances, it seems to me that, while the orders may be onerous, there is a strong arguable case for interim relief. The claimants are entitled to protect their business."

Allowing Premier's disclosure application, the judge gave Mr Bruce seven days in which to "disgorge everything."

Premier Model Management was founded by Carole White in 1981 and the agency was the star of TV documentary series The Model Agency , which aired on Channel 4 last year.

Via: Male model sued by Naomi Campbell's former agency for 'poaching models'

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