Eight newspapers pay libel damages to Joanna Yeates's landlord
Eight newspapers have agreed to pay ‘substantial’ undisclosed damages to Joanna Yeates's landlord, Chris Jefferies for libel.
The publishers of the Sun, the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror, the Daily Mail, the Daily Record, the Daily Express, the Daily Star and the Scotsman have all apologised for allegations made about Jefferies relating to the death of Joanna Yeates.
Jefferies’ solicitor, Louis Charalambous, of Simons Muirhead & Burton, said the newspapers had acknowledged the falsity of the allegations in question which were contained in over 40 articles published in late December 2010 and early January 2011.
He said: “Christopher Jefferies is the latest victim of the regular witch hunts and character assassination conducted by the worst elements of the British tabloid media.
“Many of the stories published in these newspapers are designed to 'monster' the individual, in flagrant disregard for his reputation, privacy and rights to a fair trial.
“These newspapers have now apologised to him and paid substantial damages but they do so knowing that once the conditional fee agreement rules are changed next year victims of tabloid witch hunts will no longer have the same access to justice.”