The Headteacher, Director of Educational Development and former Chairman of Governors of the Lambeth-based Durand Academy (formerly Durand Primary School), have settled their libel proceedings against the London Borough of Lambeth and the Council’s former Chief Internal Auditor, Mohammed Khan.
Mark McLaughlin, Greg Martin and Jim Davies agreed confidential terms of settlement with the defendants.
As a Statement made in open Court records, Lambeth has accepted that any allegation of financial impropriety – made by Mr Khan in a briefing paper to a government department – would have been ‘quite untrue’, and expressed their regret at the upset caused to the claimants by the briefing paper.
Mr Martin said on behalf of the claimants:
“We are pleased that Lambeth has finally withdrawn the allegation of financial impropriety made against us, and that a satisfactory settlement of the litigation has been reached.”
“There was no public interest in the making of such allegations and we had no alternative than to take the action that we did in order to vindicate our reputations and by association that of the school.”
“Contrary to some mischievous reports that have appeared in the press, the school made enormous efforts to avoid litigation but Lambeth simply refused to publish any correction. We only take such legal action as a last resort.”
Links:
Nigel Tait, Isabel Martorell and Dominic Garner represented the claimants
The Statement in Open Court can be viewed here
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