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21.09.18

Elton John accepts libel damages from The Sun on Sunday over allegations that his dog injured a child

In a joint statement read in the High Court, it was confirmed that Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish have settled their libel claim against New Group Newspapers Limited, the publishers of the The Sun on Sunday.  In an article published on the newspaper's front paper in February 2018, it was alleged that the claimants' pet cocker spaniel had inflicted serious "Freddy Krueger-like" injuries on a five-year-old girl during a play date and that they had failed to check on the child's welfare.  The story was picked up by a number of other publications.

Reading the statement in court before Mr Justice Nicklin, the claimant's solicitor Jenny Afia said "The truth is that the injuries were not serious and the claimants, far from ignoring the incident, made several inquiries about the girl’s welfare to her father and nanny".  Each time they were told that the child was fine.

The newspaper's solicitor accepted that the allegations were false and seriously defamatory and confirmed that the paper had agreed to apologise, and pay the claimants substantial damages and their legal costs.

The full text of the joint statement read in court can be found here.

 

Click here to find out how Brett Wilson LLP solicitors can help you if you have been defamed.

 


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