I WILL CLEAR MY NAME ‘DR BOTOX’ TO APPEAL RULING OVER RUGBY RAPE TRIAL TWEET
A FORMER Irish reality TV star known as ‘Dr Botox’ has vowed to fight a libel judgment entered against her in a Belfast court.
Danielle Meagher, also known as Danielle Collins, was sued by Peter Jackson, father of former Ireland rugby star Paddy Jackson, over a tweet sent during the player’s rape trial in 2018.
Paddy Jackson was found not guilty of rape in the high-profile case, which made headlines all over the world.
Peter Jackson sued over the tweet, and when ‘Dr Botox’ did not enter a defence, judgment was entered against her in favour of Mr Jackson.
But the former reality TV star — who now lives in the USA — now plans to contest the matter, and says she has instructed legal representatives in Belfast to fight the libel judgment.
“I outright deny the allegations levelled against me, and I will fight this to the bitter end to ensure that the truth is told, and my name is cleared,” she said in a statement.
Ms Meagher says she did not even know about the case “until a journalist sent me snapshots of press from Ireland on August 7, 2019”.
“This was the first time I had been notified of my alleged conduct, never mind served with court proceedings.”
She insists she did not send the tweet complained of, and that she was not properly served with documents relating to the legal action.
She added that if she was to receive any damages, or costs, both she and her legal team would make a donation to the rape crisis centre.
Speaking in July this year after judgment was entered against Ms Meagher, Peter Jackson (right) said: “I realised that I simply had to face up to the people responsible for posting these false allegations.
“I hope that my actions in helping to bring perpetrators of fabricated claims to justice will inspire and open the doors for others who have suffered at the hands of similar defamatory posts.”
He added that he strongly believed it had been “appropriate and just” to bring court proceedings.
“If it encourages others to stand up for what is right in the face of false accusations here in Northern Ireland, on the island of Ireland and beyond these shores, then this will have all been worthwhile in the face of such adversity.”
Mrs Meagher came to public attention in 2012, when she appeared on a reality TV show called ‘Dublin Wives’, and later appeared on UK’s Celebrity Big Brother in 2013.
A qualified dentist, Ms Meagher ran Dermaface — a Dublin clinic which specialised in anti-ageing treatments.
She moved to Los Angeles earlier this year.