Investors have been informed of yet another delay to the delivery of judgment in a high-profile civil case.

But over two years on, Acting Deemster James Corbett KC has yet to hand down judgment.

A total of 17 claimants have now passed away since the trial concluded, out of the claimant group of 739.

Judgment has been delayed on seven occasions.

Investors had most recently been expecting to see judgment made public on Monday June 8.

But Deemster Corbett has informed the court that circulation of the draft judgment has been further delayed. An update will be given in due course, but no date given.

Niall Coburn, managing director of Coburn Corporate intelligence who brought the action on behalf of investors, said the situation was a ‘disgrace for the Isle of Man judicial system’.

He said: ‘It is now over two years since the hearing, and the seventh date of broken promises to hand down the judgments by the Deemster.

‘Seventeen investors have passed away in the meantime, and many are old and vulnerable investors that lost life savings in financial products sold by Friend Provident International and Utmost.

‘Justice delayed is justice denied.’

A court spokesperson confirmed earlier this year that the Acting Deemster has had health issues which had caused delay.

The claimants, mainly British nationals and expats based across the world, say they were sold life assurance products which they were told were safe and low risk - but were based on investment funds which ultimately collapsed.

They argue that the companies misrepresented the products, and that they failed to carry out ‘some minimum standard of due diligence review’ on the underlying funds

Both FPI and Utmost contest the claims.