Judgment was, today, handed down in the libel case of Noel Clarke v Guardian News and Media [2025] EWHC 2193 (KB). In a 224 page, 1023 paragraph judgment, Mrs Justice Steyn dismissed all Mr Clarke’s claims. She found that Mr Clarke was not a “credible or reliable witness” [128] and the defences of truth and public interest were successful.
There were eight articles complained of but the case focussed on the first article. In a judgment handed down in November 2023 (Clarke v Guardian News & Media [2023] EWHC 2734 (KB)) Johnson J had determined that this article bore the following meaning.
“strong grounds to believe that the claimant is a serial abuser of women, that he has, over 15 years, used his power to prey on and harass and sometimes bully female colleagues, that he has engaged in unwanted sexual contact, kissing, touching or groping, sexually inappropriate behaviour and comments, and professional misconduct, taking and sharing explicit pictures and videos without consent, including secretly filming a young actor’s naked audition.”
The Guardian contended that these allegations were true and that the publications were in the public interest.
In relation to “truth”, the Judge found that each of the allegations made in the articles complained of were substantially true. It had been established that Mr Clarke had “preyed on or harassed”, engaged in “bullying behaviour”, “unwanted sexual contact”, “sexually inappropriate behaviour and comments” and covert filming of female colleagues over number of years ([856]).
In relation to “public interest”, after a comprehensive analysis, the Judge found that the Guardian had established that the first article was published on a matter of public interest and honestlybelieved that publication was in the public interest. The Judge held that the belief that publication was in the public interest was reasonable at [893]-[1021], having regard to matters such as the steps taken to verify the matters published, the extent of the opportunity given to Mr Clarke to comment, and the tone and presentation of the article, each of the challenges raised by the claimant [893].
The Court has published a short Press Summary [pdf] of the judgment.
There will be a hearing in September at which orders consequential on the dismissal of the libel claim will be made.
The decision has been widely reported in the media:
- The Guardian, “Noel Clarke loses libel case against Guardian over sexual misconduct investigation“, “Noel Clarke claimed he was a victim. Twenty-six witnesses painted a very different picture“.
- BBC News, “Noel Clarke loses libel case against the Guardian
- Daily Mail, “Noel Clarke’s career in tatters as he LOSES £70m libel case over women alleging sexual misconduct after his claims were branded a ‘desperate conspiracy’
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