Philipps is married to interior decorator Sarah Louise Butcher, who holds the title Lady St Davids.[3] Theheir presumptive to the viscountcy is his younger brotherRoland. He was educated atDownside School.[citation needed]
He was also briefly enrolled at the University of Chicago.[citation needed]
Philipps has received attention since at least the early 2000s, in relation to his business and legal affairs. He was firstdeclared bankrupt in 2002,[4] and subsequently held directorships in several companies.[5] In September 2008, having been deniedbail as a flight risk, Philipps spent more than a year in prison inNuremberg while the German authorities investigated claims of the improper use of company funds.[6] He was eventually given a two-year suspended prison sentence by a German court[n 1] formismanagement of funds related to his construction company Hans Brochier, from which he transferred a seven-figure sum to a newly registered company in the UK in 2005.[4][7] In 2009 he appealed against the sentence.[needs update][8]
In September 2010, Philipps' West Sussex property, Strange Place, inNorthchapel, wasrepossessed byBarclays Bank.[6] In March 2011, he was declared bankrupt for a second time,[9][10] and in November 2011 his wife, Viscountess St Davids, was sued for unpaid debts.[3]
In March 2012, Philipps unsuccessfully sued offshore legal advisors Corporate & Chancery Group for £110 million in theSupreme Court of Mauritius, alleging fraud and mismanagement.[11] In February 2016, he was declared bankrupt for a third time.[9][12]
Following a complaint made in November 2016, Philipps was arrested in January 2017 byMetropolitan Police officers investigating online abuse against a 51-year-old woman. In March 2017, he was charged withmalicious communications with racially aggravated factors, over alleged threats againstGina Miller, who was behind a successfullegal challenge against the UK government's intention togive notice to leave the European Union without an act of parliament.[1][13] Among other communications, he posted on Facebook: "£5,000 for the first person to 'accidentally' run over this bloody troublesome first generation immigrant" and "If this is what we should expect from immigrants, send them back to their stinking jungles".[14] He pleaded 'not guilty' to three charges of menacing communication under section 127 of theCommunications Act 2003 when he appeared atWestminster Magistrates' Court on 2 May 2017.
At the May hearing, the prosecution said the crown would seek an extended sentence because of the racial aggravation factor.[15] He was found guilty of two charges at his trial on 11 July 2017, at which he defended himself. Philipps was also convicted for comments made in response to a news article about an immigrant, in which he had written: "I will open the bidding. £2,000 in cash for the first person to carve Arnold Sube into pieces. Piece of shit".[2][16] Philipps, who described his own comments as "satire",[14] was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison.[17] He was released onbail, pending an appeal.[18] The appeal was abandoned by Philipps on 25 August 2017 some fifteen minutes after Judge Deborah Taylor informedSouthwark Crown Court that there was a risk his sentence could be increased. Philipps was then required to serve the remainder of his original sentence.[19]
Argent a Lion rampant Sable ducally gorged and chained Or langued and armed Gules
Supporters
Dexter: a Knight vested in chain armour the Jupon charged with the arms of Philipps and resting his exterior hand upon the Hilt of his Sword; Sinister: a Knight vested in plate armour his Jupon charged with the arms of Wogan (Or on a Chief Sable three Martlets of the field) and resting his exterior hand upon the Hilt of his Sword; both standing upon a Battlemented Wall all proper
Motto
Ducit Amor Patriae ("Patriotism Is My Motive")[20]
