Schillings Assist Earl And Lady Spencer In Winning Libel Action
Released
on: December 07, 2009, 2:55 pm
Author: Schillings
Industry: Law
Schillings solicitors has won their libel action against the
Sunday Express on behalf of Earl Spencer and his daughter Lady Kitty
Spencer.
The judgement has meant Earl Spencer and his daughter Lady Kitty Spencer have won an
apology, Statement in Open Court as well as substantial damages and their legal
costs from the Sunday Express after bringing a libel action in the High Court.
The Sunday Express article of 30 August 2009 entitled "The It girl making the
Spencers glamorous", made various false allegations concerning Earl Spencer's
divorce from his wife Caroline and was critical of his behaviour and that of Lady
Kitty in connection with the divorce.
The Sunday Express has accepted that the allegations complained about were false. In
an apology to be published on Sunday 6 December 2009 the Sunday Express will say:
"On 30 August 2009 in an article "The It girl making the Spencers glamorous" we
published several false allegations about Earl Spencer and his eldest daughter, Lady
Kitty Spencer. We regret the suggestion in that article that either of them acted
improperly in any way in connection with Earl Spencer's divorce from his wife
Caroline, or in relation to the division of the family assets.
We would like to apologise to Earl Spencer and Lady Kitty Spencer for the distress
and embarrassment we may have caused."
The Sunday Express also joined with Earl Spencer and Lady Kitty Spencer in making a
Statement in Open Court whereby Express Newspapers accepted that they should not
have published the article as they did and formally apologised. Express Newspapers
has also paid substantial damages and legal costs in full.
Earl Spencer said:
"I hope that this result sends a clear message: that I will not allow my children
to be libelled."
Schillings, the solicitors to Earl Spencer and Lady
Kitty issued this statement:
"We are glad to have been able to assist Earl Spencer and Lady Kitty. However, this
article was another example of the media misreporting on private family matters
without having first contacted the subjects of the story. Had the newspaper been
obliged to contact Earl Spencer and Lady Kitty prior to publication these libels
might never have been published."
-END-
Notes to editors:
About Schillings
Schillings is one of Britain's top law firms dedicated to reputation management and safeguarding the
rights of international corporations and brands, high-profile business people and
those in the public eye. The firm's 25 year track-record in defamation, privacy
law and
copyright cases together with family law, matrimonial and
commercial dispute resolution is second to none, prompting The Independent newspaper
to call Schillings a "spectacularly efficient media law firm".
Schillings clients include entertainer Madonna, supermodel Naomi Campbell, actress
Kate Winslet, seven times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, international
footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Potter author JK Rowling, pharmaceuticals maker
GlaxoSmithKline, steel maker Arcelor Mittal, the Harrods Group and the London Stock
Exchange.
For further enquires please contact Earl Spencer and Lady
Kitty's solicitors:
Rod Christie-Miller
Partner
Schillings
41 Bedford Square
London
WC1B 3HX
Tel: +44(0)20 7034 9000
Fax: +44(0)20 7034 9200
www.schillings.co.uk
2010
