Grainful Holding Limited v Igor Mineev

Facts

Grainful Holding Limited brought proceedings in the Commercial Court against Igor Mineev in respect of a debt. In aid of those proceedings a disclosure order was made on 22 October 2024, requiring Mr Mineev to provide a range of financial material, including bank statements, identifying details, information about debts owed by him, sums he had received from certain persons, financial statements, and steps to be taken in relation to accounts to which he no longer had access. Following a hearing on 26 November 2025, at which Mr Mineev was permitted to participate by making submissions remotely but not to give evidence from Serbia, Henshaw J found him in contempt of court for breaches of that order by a judgment and order dated 19 December 2025. Mr Mineev was told he would have to attend any sanction hearing in person. He did not attend the sanction hearing on 6 February 2026, his last-minute request to appear remotely having been refused, and the court proceeded in his absence, imposing a five-month committal suspended for twelve months on condition that he comply with the scheduled paragraphs of the disclosure order by 6 April 2026. He did not comply, and by application notice dated 23 April 2026 the claimant applied to activate the suspended order.