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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Damages due over McCann stories | Damages due over McCann stories |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Four newspapers are paying damages to the parents of Madeleine McCann, after settling a libel case. | |
| The Daily and Sunday Express, along with the Daily Star and Daily Star Sunday are giving "substantial" sums and printing front-page apologies. | |
| The McCanns say the money will go to the fund to find Madeleine, who went missing in Portugal on 3 May last year. | |
| The papers say they were wrong to suggest the couple were responsible for the disappearance of their daughter. | The papers say they were wrong to suggest the couple were responsible for the disappearance of their daughter. |
| The Daily Express and Daily Star both carry front-page apologies in Wednesday's editions under the headline, "Kate and Gerry McCann: Sorry". | |
| The Express acknowledges that there is "no evidence whatsoever" to support the theory and that Kate and Gerry are "completely innocent of any involvement in their daughter's disappearance". | |
| A similarly-worded statement appears in the Daily Star. | A similarly-worded statement appears in the Daily Star. |
| Further apologies are expected in the paper's sister Sunday titles at the weekend. | |
| The action relates to more than 100 stories across the four titles, including 42 printed in the Daily Express. | The action relates to more than 100 stories across the four titles, including 42 printed in the Daily Express. |
| I think this is an amazing stand-down, u-turn, by the Express newspapers Media commentator Roy Greenslade | I think this is an amazing stand-down, u-turn, by the Express newspapers Media commentator Roy Greenslade |
| All four titles are published by the Express Newspapers group, which has agreed to all the McCanns' requests. It is also paying all their costs. | |
| A spokesman for the company said: "We have nothing to add to what will be said in court and in our titles." | A spokesman for the company said: "We have nothing to add to what will be said in court and in our titles." |
| Under the terms of the settlement - at Kate and Gerry McCann's insistence - Express Newspapers' barrister will also read out an apology before a judge at the High Court. | |
| The McCanns' lawyers said that some of the newspapers' articles were "grossly defamatory". | |
| 'Trust and credibility' | 'Trust and credibility' |
| Media commentator Roy Greenslade said that for two national newspapers to carry front-page apologies at the same time was "unprecedented". | Media commentator Roy Greenslade said that for two national newspapers to carry front-page apologies at the same time was "unprecedented". |
| "I think this is an amazing stand-down, u-turn, by the Express newspapers," he said. | "I think this is an amazing stand-down, u-turn, by the Express newspapers," he said. |
| "I think when people realise that more than 100 stories have been complained about as being grossly defamatory, it will annihilate the Express' readers sense of trust and credibility in their newspaper." | "I think when people realise that more than 100 stories have been complained about as being grossly defamatory, it will annihilate the Express' readers sense of trust and credibility in their newspaper." |
| Madeleine McCann went missing in Portugal in May 2007 | Madeleine McCann went missing in Portugal in May 2007 |
| Media lawyer Paul Gilbert from Finers Stephens Innocent said the courts encourage early settlement of defamation cases. | Media lawyer Paul Gilbert from Finers Stephens Innocent said the courts encourage early settlement of defamation cases. |
| "Clearly the Express' lawyers felt this was a case they should settle without a high-profile trial - which it would be - and as a result have saved considerable costs," he said. | "Clearly the Express' lawyers felt this was a case they should settle without a high-profile trial - which it would be - and as a result have saved considerable costs," he said. |
| "It certainly is a warning sign to newspapers in the future, if they're going to speculate, they've got to be very careful about what they speculate about." | "It certainly is a warning sign to newspapers in the future, if they're going to speculate, they've got to be very careful about what they speculate about." |
| Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, went missing, aged three, in the resort of Praia da Luz in the Algarve. | |
| Her parents have been named as suspects in the case by Portuguese police but have always denied any involvement. |