The Supreme Court has today refused Leicester City footballer Danny Simpson permission to appeal in his libel claim against MGN, publisher of the Daily Mirror.
In July 2016 the Court of Appeal allowed MGN’s appeal against the order of Mr Justice Warby striking out their defence of justification. The Court of Appeal observed that the meaning of a defamatory statement does not necessarily establish the intensity of its sting. In seeking permission to appeal to the Supreme Court Mr Simpson argued that the distinction drawn by the court between defamatory meaning and sting was “fallacious, wrong in principle, contrary to authority and inconsistent with established practice”.
The Supreme Court also awarded MGN its costs of the appeal.
5RB‘s Adam Wolanski is acting for MGN.
