Nottingham Forest owner sues Crystal Palace over ‘gun banner’
by: Adham Harker
August 13, 2026
Following a preliminary ruling by Mr Justice Chamberlain dated 24 April 2026 (see our blog here), Allison Pearson has received a payout and an apology from Roger Hirst, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex. Ms Pearson brought claims for libel (amongst other causes of action) against both Essex Police and Mr Hirst in July 2025 following statements made in the press about a police investigation into Ms Pearson. In April, Mr Justice Chamberlain found that statements complained of were defamatory at common law and carried a Chase Level 1 (i.e. carry an imputation of actual guilt), the most serious level of meaning and thereby the most difficult to defend.
Mr Hirst has now apologised to Ms Pearson in a post on his website and paid damages (reported to be a five-figure sum). The full text of the apology is as follows:-
“I wish to apologise to Allison Pearson, the Daily Telegraph journalist, for accusations I made about her in an interview I gave to Lewis Goodall of LBC on 17 November 2024, and in an article I wrote for Conservative Home which I later published on my own website.
I intended to address wider issues about hate crimes and policing rather than to make accusations against her personally, but I accept, as the High Court has found that I did accuse her personally, I should not have made those allegations against her. I am very sorry for the damage and hurt I have caused to her, and I have agreed to pay her substantial damages and costs in recognition of that.”
The findings of the judge in the preliminary issues hearing set a high threshold for the Defendants to successfully defend the claim against them. In circumstances where the legal issues and mounting costs are likely to impart a heavy burden on defendants, it is often advisable to take a pragmatic approach to settlement where possible, as appears to have occurred here. This is particularly important strategically in cases involving multiple causes of action, whereby the weaker claims (or defences) can divert crucial focus and resource from the stronger.
The claims against Essex police and the other causes of action against Mr Hirst continue.
Hermione Hill
SolicitorRelated Services
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- Wrongly circulated as wanted by the media or on social media
- Defending a defamation claim
- IPSO press complaints
- IPSO arbitration procedure
- Responding to a request for comment by the media
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- Norwich Pharmacal Orders – Identifying the Anonymous
- Privacy, Harassment and Defamation Injunctions
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