The owner of Chelsea Football Club, Roman Abramovich, won his $6.5bn legal battle against former business partner Boris Berezovsky today, in the biggest private court case in British legal history.

In an unprecedented battle of the Russian oligarchs, Mr Abramovich was accused of the betrayal and blackmail of Mr Berezovsky into selling his interests in the oil company and aluminium conglomerate they founded together.

In turn, Mr Abramovich accused Mr Berezovsky of extorting money from him for political influence and use ing "threats and intimidation" to coerce him into selling his stake in Russian oil company Sibneft at below market value.

After a year long battle, the London Commercial Court Judge, Mrs Justice Gloster, ruled against Mr Berezovsky saying that the 45 year old Abramovich was the more reliable witness, saying that the 66-year old Berezovsky had appeared "deluded" while testifying.