Statement Issued By Simons Muirhead & Burton, Solicitors Acting For Robert Murat - Thursday 17 July 2008

Eleven national newspapers 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 Associated Newspapers Limited, Express Newspapers, MGN Limited, and News Group Newspapers Limited, the publishers of 11 different daily and Sunday newspapers, had acknowledged the falsity of the allegations in question which were contained in over 100 articles which appeared between May 2007 and January 2008.

Michaela Walczuch and Sergey Malinka, brought separate libel actions. They also received apologies in the High Court in London today and secured their own substantial six figure settlements. Many of these articles were published on the front pages of the newspapers and on their websites, accompanied by sensationalist headlines and striking photographs.  

Published by  newspapers which included The Daily Express, The Sunday Express, The Daily Star, The Daily Mail, The Evening Standard, The Metro, The Daily Mirror, The Sunday Mirror, The News of the World, The Sun and The Daily Record, the articles strongly suggested that Mr Murat had abducted or been party to the abduction of Madeleine McCann, had lied to the Portuguese police about his involvement, and had otherwise obstructed the police investigation into her disappearance including giving false details of his whereabouts on the evening of 3 May 2007. Some of the newspapers suggested that Mr Murat had paedophile tendencies. Others stated that Mr Murat’s behaviour was similar to that of Soham murder Ian Huntley. A false claim that DNA evidence had shown that Madeleine had been in Mr Murat’s Villa was also published. 

Mr Charalambous of Simons, Muirhead and Burton, said:

"Until now Robert Murat has had to watch silently as the worst elements of the British media have gone about destroying his good name and reputation. The behaviour of the tabloid journalists and their editors has been grossly irresponsible demonstrating a reckless disregard for truth. Using conditional fee agreements we pursued these 11 national newspapers for numerous articles which carried false and defamatory claims about Robert and his family. This record settlement in the sum of £600,000 in damages for Robert Murat will help him and his family rebuild their lives".

“Let’s not forget Mr Malinka's and Ms Walczuch’s lives have also been devastated by the baseless, inaccurate media coverage that has proliferated about them through swathes of the British press over the last year. Today’s public apology and the six figure sum in damages that each of these parties have also secured will go some way to compensating for the distress they have suffered and restoring their good names. It will  bury the lies published about them which included made up allegations of sexual perversion and, in Mr Malinka’s case, of a criminal record.”  

The newspapers confirmed to the Court that the defamatory allegations against Mr Murat should never have been made and are unreservedly withdrawn.   In addition to apologising, the newspapers have also agreed to pay libel damages of £600,000 to Mr Murat.  The newspapers will also be paying the legal costs of bringing the complaints. 

Reacting to today’s judgment, Robert Murat said:

“The newspapers in this case brought about the total and utter destruction of mine and my family’s life and caused immense distress. I am pleased that the publications concerned have today admitted the falsity of all their allegations and I can now start to rebuild my life. Today’s statement of full apology in open Court means I can emerge from this action vindicated and with the recognition and acknowledgement that what was said against me was wholly untrue".

“I also wish to pay tribute to my legal team at Simons Muirhead & Burton, led by Louis Charalambous. It is due to their professionalism, dedication and assistance that I am able to be here today. I would also like to thank all those who have personally contacted me to offer their support throughout the last year".

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For further information please contact: Shimon Cohen (020 7284 6969, scohen@theproffice.com) or Clair Whitefield (0207 7284 6940/53, cwhitefield@theprofffice.com) at The PR Office.

For a copy of the Statement In Open Court, click here