Barristers Philip Williams, Arthur Lo, and Daniel Jeremy of 33 Bedford Row recently acted for Noel Clarke in his high-profile High Court libel case against The Guardian.
The lawsuit was brought by Mr. Clarke following a Guardian investigation that reported accusations of sexual misconduct against him by more than 20 women. The case, instructed by The Khan Partnership LLP, became the largest libel and defamation trial in English history, with Mr. Clarke claiming over £70 million in damages.
Spanning six weeks, the trial involved over 30 witnesses and thousands of pages of evidence. In a landmark 200-page judgment, the High Court dismissed the libel claim. Mrs. Justice Steyn ruled that GNM's publication was in the public interest (s.4 of the Defamation Act 2013). and that the core allegations made against Mr. Clarke were substantially true (s.2 of the same Act).
The court found that numerous instances of sexual and professional misconduct by Mr. Clarke had been established by GNM's 29 witnesses. It's important to note that not all the allegations against Mr. Clarke were upheld by the court, but the judge found enough evidence to support the articles' central claims.
This case has set new precedents in defamation law, including the unprecedented claim for damages.
For inquiries about instructing Philip Williams, Arthur Lo, or Daniel Jeremy in high-profile or any defamation matters, please contact clerks@33br.co.uk
Read Judgment here.
Other Media Coverage:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy33g0lelno
https://www.ft.com/content/a6450d21-3f32-4086-ab3f-26796e952395
https://news.sky.com/story/noel-clarke-loses-libel-case-against-guardian-publisher-over-inappropriate-behaviour-allegations-13415749
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/22/noel-clarke-loses-libel-case-against-the-guardian/