Statement Issued By Simons Muirhead & Burton, solicitors acting for Robert Murat - Friday 14 November 2008

The broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting Ltd (“Sky”) today made apologies to Robert Murat for the defamatory allegations made against him in relation to the abduction and disappearance of Madeleine McCann and agreed to pay him substantial libel damages. 

Mr Murat’s solicitor Louis Charalambous Media Litigation Partner at Simons Muirhead and Burton, told Mr Justice Eady in the High Court hearing that Sky had acknowledged the falsity of the allegations in question which were contained in an article in the Sky News section of Sky’s website and in an interview with Sunday Mirror journalist Lori Campbell.

Mr Charalambous, of Simons Muirhead and Burton, said:

"This settlement represents the final stage of Mr Murat’s claims against those sections of the British media which defamed him so terribly. He has been entirely successful and vindicated. He could never have brought any of these claims without the use of Conditional Fee Agreements which gave him access to justice. It was particularly important to him to nail this particular lie - that he acted in some way reminiscent to the Soham murderer Ian Huntley when, in fact, he was working flat out to help try to find Madeleine. Ms Campbell’s so-called suspicions were, I suspect, motivated by her desire to pull off a journalistic scoop. Instead it has led to my client’s life being ruined and a large number of British newspapers and this broadcaster having to make apologies and pay substantial damages and costs."

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For further information please contact: Louis Charalambous of Simons Muirhead & Burton on 0203 206 2700.