A legal dispute between two members of Greenwich Yacht Club over accusations of online harassment has escalated to the High Court, with potential legal costs estimated at £300,000. The case involves Stefan Oloffs, a former club captain, and Richard Phillips, the club's former commodore.

The conflict centers on allegations made by Oloffs, 54, who accused Phillips, 60, of receiving preferential treatment in securing a mooring for his 80-foot Dutch barge, Verandering. Oloffs claimed in June 2023 that Phillips misused his position within the yacht club to avoid paying standard mooring fees. According to Phillips’s legal team, an internal inquiry cleared him of wrongdoing, but Oloffs continued a public campaign against Phillips, which included statements on a WhatsApp group of 230 club members, a complaint filed with the Port of London Authority, and the creation of a website called “Barge Gate.”

Phillips, who stepped down from his role earlier this year after beginning his association with the club as head of IT and running a software business, is seeking £20,000 in damages. He alleges that Oloffs’s actions caused him significant distress, including loss of sleep, anxiety, and public embarrassment.

In response, Oloffs described the lawsuit as motivated by “recrimination and financial oppression.” He contested the harassment claims, arguing that his criticism was directed at what he perceived as unfair advantages granted to Phillips regarding the mooring arrangements, particularly concerning favorable rates and inconsistent rent payments. Oloffs, a language teacher by profession, maintains that as an official within the club, Phillips should have expected to face critical scrutiny.

The dispute has also impacted Oloffs’s standing within Greenwich Yacht Club. In January 2024, he was expelled following a hearing overseen by Phillips, though Oloffs’s appeal against the expulsion remains undecided.

During proceedings last week, Oloffs’s legal team requested that Mrs. Justice Hill dismiss the harassment claim. After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge deferred her ruling on whether to strike out the case, leaving the matter pending further consideration.