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Actor Noel Clarke has been ordered to pay a minimum of £3m towards the legal costs of Guardian News and Media (GNM) after a High Court judge determined that he pursued a “far-fetched” and “false case” against the newspaper regarding sexual misconduct allegations. The Doctor Who and Kidulthood star took legal action against the Guardian after they published a series of stories in 2021 accusing him of using his influence in the film and TV industry to target and harass women. In August, a judge dismissed Clarke’s libel claim, stating that the Guardian had successfully defended their reports based on truth and public interest.
During the hearing on Tuesday, Clarke became emotional at times while expressing the hardships he has faced as a result of the legal battle, mentioning the loss of work, savings, legal representation, ability to provide for his family, and his health. The court was informed that the Guardian’s estimated total costs amount to £6m, indicating that Clarke may be required to pay a larger sum in the future. The established standard procedure stipulates that the prevailing party, in this instance, the Guardian, is entitled to recover their costs from the unsuccessful party, in this case, Clarke.
Judge Mrs Justice Steyn ruled that Clarke must make an initial payment of £3m within 28 days, pending a comprehensive evaluation of the overall costs to be recuperated. She underscored that the sum sought by the defendant is reasonable and offers leeway for potential adjustments following a detailed assessment. The judge criticized Clarke for pursuing baseless allegations against the Guardian’s truth witnesses, characterizing his case as implausible and deceptive. Gavin Millar KC, representing GNM, proposed that Clarke make an interim payment equating to half of the estimated £6m costs, which he described as being below the customary request of 75-80% of costs.
Clarke’s professional trajectory came crashing down in 2021 after several women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against him, which he refuted. Following a six-week trial, a High Court judge found that the claims made by the Guardian were substantially accurate and that Clarke had engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior, including unwelcome advances. Clarke, who achieved fame for his role as Mickey Smith in Doctor Who and subsequently excelled as an actor, writer, producer, and director, experienced a significant setback as a result of the legal proceedings
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