Donald Trump has been formally served with legal papers at his Scottish golf businesses in a long-running dispute with former British spy Christopher Steele.

Sheriff officers delivered the documents at Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire and the Menie golf course in Aberdeenshire, according to Mail Online.

The case stems from Steele’s explosive dossier alleging that Russia held compromising material on Trump — claims the former president has always denied. Trump unsuccessfully sued Steele for defamation in London, with the High Court dismissing the case in April and ordering him to pay more than £600,000 in legal costs to Steele’s firm, Orbis Business Intelligence.

The bill remains unpaid and is rising daily, expected to increase by around £2,000 by the time Trump arrives in London for a state visit later this month.

An Orbis spokesman welcomed the move, saying: “The British legal system has demonstrated that, in this country at least, no-one is above the law. We are nevertheless concerned that Donald Trump continues to be in breach of the English High Court and alarmed by the outrageous costs of this vexatious case in wasted time and money.”

Orbis is reportedly seeking an “arrestment” order to prevent Trump’s Scottish companies from paying out dividends until the debt is cleared.

While Trump’s team may argue that presidential immunity protects him, Orbis will claim the case pre-dates his presidency. His lawyers now have one month to respond.