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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent

Women’s groups hail Noel Clarke libel defeat as victory for victims and press freedom

Noel Clarke outside a court.
Noel Clarke lost his libel case against the Guardian after a judge rejected the actor’s claims. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Women’s groups have said a high court judgment dismissing a libel claim against the Guardian by actor Noel Clarke marks a victory not just for his victims, but for press freedom and public interest reporting as a whole.

They said too often “wealthy and abusive men” have been able to use the courts to try to silence victims, hiding “behind injunctions, NDAs, [and] threats of defamation suits”.

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