Spice Girls must pay £1million to Aprilia

The Spice Girls have been told by the Court of Appeal they can’t have £220,000 in damages from Aprilia and instead must pay the firm £1 million.

The pop group has been ordered to pay the money over a sponsorship deal to promote the 50cc Sonic Spice scooter. The deal collapsed when Geri Halliwell left the band in March 1998.

The girls had claimed they had not known Ginger Spice was leaving when they signed the deal that March. But three judges at the court last week ruled they had known, and are guilty of misrepresentation over the deal.

The band had taken the case to the Court of Appeal hoping to overturn an earlier ruling that they were not entitled to unpaid sponsorship and royalty fees of £220,000, and instead should pay the firm £400,000.

The Court of Appeal increased damages awarded to Aprilia because the case has dragged on longer and cost the firm more.