An Ormskirk businessman says he is ‘mystified’ why the head of a respected charity is carrying out a ‘vindictive’ campaign against him after sacking him as an unpaid volunteer.

Paul Ponting of Yew Tree Road was speaking to QLocal reporter Roger Blaxall after appointing a Liverpool solicitor to represent him as exchanges with Paul Brooks, chairman of NW Blood Bikes, get increasingly acrimonious.

The word ‘vendetta’ might be too strong but he spent over around 40 minutes briefing Blaxall about the issue which he believes stems from when Mr. Ponting was cleared on appeal over a public order offence where he was assaulted and had his phone stolen.

Mr. Ponting was subsequently charged by Lancashire Constabulary for trying to reprimand the thief who was himself convicted. He was finally exonerated by a Crown Court Judge in October 2018 after the wrongful conviction by Magistrates but is now concerned that Brooks, a former Lancashire motorcycle police officer and local JP, is carrying on a ‘whispering’ campaign and deliberately slurring his name among other Blood Bike volunteers.

Ponting, 49, started volunteering with the charity in summer 2016 and willingly undertook the shifts that others refused, including late nights, weekends and bank holidays.

He told Blaxall: “I love biking and volunteering with the Blood Bikes locally in west Lancashire and Sefton was very fulfilling.”

Ponting is well known for his dealings with the Lancashire Constabulary after recently suing them for £35,000. He has expressed his belief that Paul Brooks actions stem from his connection with the force - it’s been found to have ‘disposed of’ a police motorcycle worth around £7,000 to the charity headed by Paul Brooks. Assets below £1,500 are allowed to be disposed of by the police. PCC Clive Grunshaw who handed over the keys to the charity confirmed that the expensive police motorcycle was only valued at £1,500 and then donated to the ex-police officer heading the charity.

Mr. Ponting says that after his case of public order was dismissed on appeal, Brooks refused to let the matter drop and initiated a whispering campaign which Ponting can prove is based on falsehood and baseless allegations which Brooks maliciously posted on the charity’s website. The ICO investigated this and found that Brooks, the chairman of the charity, had breached Mr. Ponting’s personal data.

Said Paul: “I loved everything about my role as a Blood Bikes volunteer.

“The charity is fantastic and there are lots of great people who volunteer like me and fulfil a vital service which saves the NHS hundreds of thousands of pounds every year.

“But this is leaving a very bad taste and along with other dubious practices I have discovered I’ve decided to bring in Cobleys of Liverpool, to represent me."

QLocal approached the charity for a comment on Mr. Ponting's accusations to no avail.