A former Leeds United director is seeking damages from the club's current chairman, Ken Bates, over alleged harassment. Melvyn Levi claims the businessman, the club and a local radio station pursued a campaign against him and his wife, Carole.

Part of the claim - being heard at Leeds County Court - rests on comments made by Mr Bates in the club's matchday programme. One article last January speculated on the state of the Levis' marriage.

Giving evidence, Mr Bates admitted the men were in an ongoing dispute, but denied that he had used his column in the programme to continue the alleged campaign.

He denied his actions had made the Levis' lives "a misery". The case was continuing as the JC went to press.

Mr Levi was part of a consortium which ran the club before Mr Bates took over in 2005. In July 2009 Mr Levi was awarded £50,000 in libel damages after Mr Bates described him as a "shyster" in his column in the programme.