The boss of Brewdog has won a court action over a £100,000 fraud claim.

James Watt, who co-founded the Aberdeenshire-based beer giant, said he had been "harassed, defrauded and defamed" over the past two years.

The BBC reports that he has now won a Court of Session action against Emili Ziem over payments he made to her believing she could help identify "people spreading lies" after she failed to respond to the court.

The £600,000 court ruling in Mr Watt's favour included expenses.

Judge Lord Brailsford said the defender Emili Ziem had failed to respond to the court, and found the transfer of £100,000 in Bitcoin was "induced by fraudulent misrepresentation".

'Significant personal toll'

Reacting to the ruling, Mr Watt told his social media followers: "For the past two years I have been the subject of a vicious and relentless campaign of abuse, often by troll accounts posting and sharing appalling lies about me (often direct to family and friends) - lies that were then amplified all over the internet.

"It has taken a significant personal toll and been a massive distraction. I needed to do all I could to bring the campaign to an end.

"I want to say I didn't go to court lightly, but I have been harassed, defrauded and defamed, and it has deeply affected me, my family and my business. I had no choice."

Emili Ziem has made no comment on the ruling.

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