Katie and Peter win damages after libel dispute
Thursday, 03 Jul 2008 16:27
Katie Price and Peter Andre awarded damages after tabloid story
Katie Price and Peter Andre have been awarded damages after a tabloid story claimed they were 'uncaring parents'.
The glamour model, typically known as Jordan, and her singer husband sued the News of the World over allegedly defamatory claims from a former nanny.
The redtop newspaper's story had claimed the pair were negligent parents to their children Junior and Princess Tiaami and to Price's disabled son Harvey.
But the couple have now been awarded "substantial" damages and have accepted a retraction from the newspaper after a hearing at the high court in London.
Price and Andre, who have their own ITV2 reality show, sought damages from publisher News Group Newspapers over the harm caused to their personal and professional reputations, arguing that the newspaper ought to have checked the factual accuracy of the story and given them opportunity to comment.
According to the Press Gazette, the pair received an email from Jules Stenson, assistant editor of the News of the World, in which he admitted going to print without consulting the couple.
"I would have told you about the nanny but our lawyer said you may put a legal block on it so I could not," he is said to have written.
Speaking outside the high court in London after today's judgement, Price commented: "Anyone who has kids can imagine how they would feel to be accused publicly of being bad parents.
"Pete and I love our kids and would do anything for them.
"We came here today to see that justice was done and that our names were cleared."