Espire Infolabs Limited v Amit Mohan Sharma

Facts

The claimant, an IT services company, seconded the defendant, whom it employed as a project manager on a six-month probationary period, to a private members' club in London, where he had access to members' personal data including addresses and payment card details. When told in June 2025 that his secondment would end, the defendant said he had copied personal data of some 55,000 members and demanded £150,000 not to reveal it. The parties negotiated a settlement agreement dated 4 July 2025 under which the claimant agreed to pay a £50,000 termination payment and £1,000 for legal advice, in return for undertakings to delete confidential information, make no derogatory or media statements, not disclose or use confidential information, and not contact the claimant's customers or clients. After a dispute over tax deducted from the payment, the defendant sent emails and text messages to the club, its members, the claimant, its solicitor and the press between July and November 2025, threatening to disclose members' data, demanding further payments running into six and seven figures, and making disparaging remarks. He was arrested and his devices seized in August 2025 but resumed his demands after proceedings were issued in October. Interim injunctions were obtained without notice on 12 November 2025 and continued inter partes. The claimant applied for summary judgment for repayment of the termination payment and continuation of the injunctions, or alternatively to strike out the defence and counterclaim.