PR chief helped himself to my millions, says legendary journalist

The head of a prominent Hong Kong public relations and publishing company is being taken to court accused of mishandling the private finances of the city's best-known foreign correspondent.

A High Court writ has been issued against Ted Thomas, chief executive of Corporate Communications, by 94-year-old Clare Hollingworth, who accuses him of withdrawing more than $2 million from her account.

Former Daily Telegraph correspondent Ms Hollingworth - famous for scooping the world with news of the outbreak of the second world war - gave Mr Thomas, 76, control over her finances in 2003 but says he failed to act in her interests.

In the writ filed yesterday with the help of her family, she says he withdrew $170,600 from ATMs using her cash card and drew $2.062 million in cheques, many of them made out to Mr Thomas, his companies and his associates.

Mr Thomas has since repaid more than $1 million. Ms Hollingworth wants him to account for $1.187 million the writ says he has failed 'to completely and adequately explain' and to refund any expenditure he cannot so explain. The writ also seeks damages.

The writ lists cheques including those for the sums of $206,350, $600,000 and $700,000 made out to Thomas Edward Juson - the real name of Mr Thomas - written between July 2003 and May last year.