Noel Clarke’s legal skirmish takes an unexpected turn as his bid to have the Guardian’s defense dismissed in his libel case against the newspaper falls short. The actor, writer, and director is taking legal action against Guardian News and Media (GNM) in response to a series of articles featuring allegations from multiple women accusing him of inappropriate behavior and groping on set over several years. In a statement, the former Doctor Who star vehemently refuted any claims of sexual misconduct or criminal activity.
During a hearing at the High Court, Mr. Clarke’s barrister, Arthur Lo, argued that The Guardian’s defense should be dismissed for various reasons. He highlighted instances where, following Mr. Clarke’s legal threats, the Guardian’s head of investigations instructed journalists to delete messages on the encrypted app Signal and alleged that some evidence was fabricated. Mr. Clarke’s legal team asserted that this behavior amounted to a serious perversion of justice, accusing the newspaper’s head of investigations of criminal actions. These claims were denied by both parties, with Mr. Clarke’s team later conceding that no new or false evidence was produced by The Guardian.
In her subsequent ruling, Mrs. Justice Steyn criticized Mr. Clarke’s lawyers, deeming the accusation of fabrication as “unacceptable.” She clarified that deleting messages does not equate to fabricating evidence and expressed disapproval at the baseless nature of the claim. The Guardian’s barrister, Gavin Millar KC, argued that Mr. Clarke’s accusations were unsubstantiated attempts to tarnish the reputation of its journalists and disseminate defamatory claims about Guardian employees. The newspaper contended that much of the allegedly destroyed data had been retained and disclosed, maintaining that any deletions were part of standard data minimization practices, especially concerning safeguarding confidential sources.
Amidst the legal proceedings, the Guardian refuted allegations of fabricating evidence and destroying messages as baseless, emphasizing the lack of substantial evidence supporting these claims. The full trial is slated to commence in early March and is expected to span a six-week period. GNM intends to defend itself on the grounds of truth and public interest. Mrs. Justice Steyn’s additional comments, following the release of her full judgment, further shed light on the ongoing legal saga.
[Article updated on February 5 to include additional remarks from Mrs. Justice Steyn post the publication of her complete judgment.]
