The Guardian journalists Sirin Kale and Lucy Osborne have been recognised for their investigation covering accusations of sexual misconduct against the actor and director Noel Clarke by more than 20 women.
The pair were named women of the year at the Women in Journalism awards. Osborne dedicated the honour to the “many brave women, our sources” who chose to give evidence after Clarke took legal action against the Guardian.
In a landmark high court judgment last summer, Mrs Justice Steyn rejected Clarke’s claims he had been libelled, ruling that the Guardian had succeeded in both of its defences, on the grounds of truth and public interest.
Accepting the award for the two journalists, Osborne said they had “faced personal legal threats and attacks on our judgment, our work and even our personal lives in court. However, we never once regretted writing these articles.
“We hope that winning this case helps us and other journalists keep telling difficult stories like this one: particularly abuses of power that sadly so often affect women.”
She added: “What we experienced was really nothing compared to the many brave women, our sources, who chose to give evidence for us. They were accused of lying, faced an array of legal tactics and attempts by Clarke’s team to stop them coming to court, then had to be questioned about some of the most painful moments of their life in front of a high court judge. So this award is for them.”
Malak A Tantesh, the Guardian’s former Gaza correspondent, was given the rising star award for her reporting, which included describing her journey home after last year’s ceasefire deal.
The judges said: “Malak reported with extraordinary courage on daily life under siege in Gaza. She continued to deliver vital journalism under the most extreme and distressing conditions.”
Tantesh, who reported for the Guardian from Gaza for 18 months, was recently named new journalist of the year at the British Journalism Awards. She also received the Marie Colvin award for outstanding up-and-coming journalists at that ceremony and was given a standing ovation.
The prize is named after the acclaimed Sunday Times correspondent who was killed while reporting from the besieged Syrian enclave of Baba Amr in 2012.
