The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Sir Elton wins libel case False:
Dog attack claims land publisher in court
Sir Elton John and David Furnish have accepted “significant” libel damages over a newspaper claim that their dog inflicted “Freddy Krueger-like injuries” on a child at a play date.
The couple, who were not at London’s High Court on Friday, brought proceedings against News Group Newspapers over a front-page story in The Sun On Sunday in February.
Their solicitor, Jenny Afia, told Mr Justice Nicklin that the item, headlined “Elton’s Dog Did This To My Girl”, also appeared on the Sun’s website and was picked up by a number of other publishers.
She said: “The story described an incident at the claimants’ home at which a young child at a play date had been subjected to a serious attack by their dog, which left her with ‘Freddy Krueger-like injuries’ and that, despite being aware of the incident, the claimants failed to make any attempt to find out how the little girl was.
“This allegation is false. The truth is that the injuries were not serious, and the claimants, far from ignoring the incident, made several inquiries about the
“The truth is that the injuries were not serious”
girl’s welfare to her father and nanny.
“Each time it was confirmed the girl was fine.”
Speaking for News Group Newspapers, solicitor Jeffrey Smele said: “The defendant offers its apology to the claimants, and is pleased that the matter has been amicably resolved.” A trader has admitted to selling clothing made from endangered wild animals.
Timothy Norris listed fur coats, hats and scarves for sale on eBay which had been created from leopards, ocelots, lynx and wolves, Scotland Yard said.
The 40-year-old, from Surrey, pleaded guilty to illegally trading in endangered species at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
He was handed 200 hours of community service and the illegal garments were seized by police.
Sarah Bailey from the Metropolitan Police’s wildlife crime unit said that Norris had helped to fuel the illegal wildlife trade and the trader’s actions “could threaten the conservation status of remaining populations”.