The High Court in London has dismissed Noel Clarke’s libel claim against Guardian News and Media (GNM) in relation to its reporting on misconduct allegations. The seven Guardian articles and a podcast included an April 2021 report that 20 women who knew him professionally had made allegations of misconduct, including bullying, harassment and sexually inappropriate behaviour. Clarke denies the allegations and GNM argued the reporting was true and in the public interest.

In the judgement, Mrs Justice Steyn said the newspaper had established truth and public interest defences. She noted Clarke’s evidence was not credible overall. The trial heard testimony from a number of witnesses who alleged Clarke shared nude photographs without consent, groped them and asked them to look at him when he was exposed. Clarke’s barristers had claimed a conspiracy of people with financial and personal grudges; Gavin Millar KC for GNM rejected the conspiracy claim as lacking evidence, describing it as speculative. The judge said there was no proper foundation for a conspiracy to lie.

The judge found that publication was in the public interest. Guardian editor-in-chief Katharine Viner said the decision was a landmark for investigative journalism and for public interest reporting in Britain, describing the Guardian’s investigation as thorough and conducted by diligent reporters. She added she hoped the ruling would encourage other women in similar situations to speak out.