Former world heavyweight-boxing champion Frank Bruno and Yvonne Clydesdale won substantial damages from The People over false allegations concerning their private life.
Press Release
Frank Bruno Knocks Allegations Out
10 October 2006
Frank Bruno, the former world heavyweight boxing champion and Yvonne Clydesdale, the mother of their baby daughter have won their libel case against MGN Limited, the publishers of The People newspaper.
On 23 April 2006, The People ran a story on the front page of their newspaper making serious and false allegations about their private lives.
Soon after the article was published, Mr Bruno and Miss Clydesdale approached Carter-Ruck to clear their names.
Following correspondence from Carter-Ruck, The People published an apology in the next edition of the newspaper and shortly afterwards also agreed to pay the Claimants substantial damages and legal costs.
In the High Court, Solicitor-Advocate Magnus Boyd of Carter-Ruck told Mr Justice Eady that the Newspaper had falsely reported that Mr Bruno and Miss Clydesdale had split up; that Mr Bruno ended the relationship just days before Miss Clydesdale was due to give birth and had branded her a gold-digger, implying that Mr Bruno had treated Miss Clydesdale in a cold, callous and heartless manner.
As the newspaper was aware, Miss Clydesdale was very heavily pregnant at the time of the publication and the allegations caused a lot of distress at an extremely sensitive time.
Statement in Open Court
Frank Bruno and Yvonne Clydesdale and MGN Limited
Solicitor for the Claimants
My Lord, in this action I represent the Claimants Frank Bruno and Yvonne Clydesdale. My friend, Sarah Tandy, a solicitor represents the Defendant.
Mr Bruno is a former heavyweight-boxing champion of the World. Miss Clydesdale is his girlfriend and mother of their 3-month-old daughter. The Defendant is the publisher of The People.
On 23 April 2006 the Defendant published a story on the front page of The People that ran on to page 4 of the newspaper and carried the headline, ‘Bruno baby love split’. The article was also published on the Newspaper’s website.
The article alleged that Mr Bruno and Miss Clydesdale had split up; that Mr Bruno ended the relationship just days before Miss Clydesdale was due to give birth and had branded her a gold-digger, implying, that Mr Bruno had treated Miss Clydesdale in a cold, callous and heartless manner.
The Newspaper also alleged that Mr Bruno ignored Miss Clydesdale, that he did not take calls from Miss Clydesdale and that this was because he thought she was just after his money.
Miss Clydesdale was accused of being a gold-digger. All these allegations are false.
As the Defendant was aware Miss Clydesdale was very heavily pregnant at the time of the publication and the timing and sensational nature of the allegations published caused both Claimants distress at an extremely sensitive time in their lives.
The People now accepts that the allegations are untrue. They promptly published an apology in the next edition of the Newspaper and have agreed to pay the Claimants substantial damages and their legal costs.
The Defendant’s Solicitor
Mr Lord, on behalf of the Defendant I endorse what my friend has said. MGN Limited, through me, apologises once again to Mr Bruno and Miss Clydesdale for the distress and embarrassment that has been caused to them by the publication of the article. In addition, the Defendant has undertaken not to republish the same or similar allegations of the Claimants.
The Claimants’ Solicitor
My Lord, with that the Claimants are content to let the matter rest and all that remains is for me to ask for you Lordship’s permission to withdraw the record.
Magnus Boyd
Carter-Ruck
on behalf of the Claimants
Marcus Partington
MGN Limited
on behalf of the Defendant
10 October 2006
Links:
Mr Bruno and Ms Clydesdale were represented by Magnus Boyd
Our Newsletter
