Retired civil servant vows to fight £32m claim

The treasures include works by Thomas Gainsborough, Sir Thomas Lawrence and Sir John Denham.

Derek Sherborn, of Marine Parade, Brighton, will contest the High Court claim by a man who says he has no right to the paintings.

In the writ, David Ford, of Mitcham, Greater London, claims he bought the paintings for £165,000 from a man who was acting as an agent for someone else.

But Mr Ford says he was arrested in 1985 by officers from Metropolitan Police for handling stolen goods.

He was advised by police they believed the paintings were stolen from Mr Sherborn's house in a robbery in 1982.

The writ claims Mr Sherborn, who has been a leading figure in the Kingscliffe and Regency Societies in Brighton, was looking after the estate of the late Robert McKenzie and it was believed the paintings were his.

Police returned the paintings to Mr Sherborn in 1985.

The paintings include Man In Red Jacket by Gainsborough, worth £5 million, Man In Dark Suit With Cravat by Sir Thomas Lawrence, thought to be £2 million, and The First Lady by Daniel Gordener valued at£3 million.

There is a further work by Sir John Denham called Van Dyck - In Armour General Of The Kings, worth £2 million.

But Mr Ford claims the paintings were not the property of Mr McKenzie at the time of his death and he had no right to have them.

The writ claims the works had never been in Mr Sherborn's possession before 1985 and had not been reported stolen by him in the armed raid.

Mr Ford is seeking replacement of the paintings, which are worth £16 million.

He is also seeking damages for loss of enjoyment from the paintings which he estimates at £16 million since 1985.

Mr Sherborn, who was the Government's principal inspector of historic buildings, said yesterday: "I am aware of this and it is all absurd. There is not a word of truth to this. It will be contested."

He said he would not be attending the court as he is not well enough when the case begins in London on Wednesday.