Nuala O'Loan to receive damages over Paul Givan remarks

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-22188171

Version 0 of 1.

Former Police Ombudsman Baroness Nuala O'Loan is to receive substantial libel damages from the chairman of the Stormont justice committee.

Paul Givan also issued an unreserved apology for comments he made in a live television interview.

In it, the DUP MLA questioned Baroness O'Loan's integrity and impartiality during her time in office.

The resolution was confirmed at the High Court in Belfast after a jury had been sworn in to hear the case.

Baroness O'Loan, who served as Northern Ireland's first Police Ombudsman between 1999 and 2007, sued over a broadcast on UTV Live 18 months ago.

Apology

Although liability was accepted, a jury of four men and three women were due to decide the level of damages at a hearing set to last for up to three days.

However, following further negotiations, Mr Justice Gillen was told a settlement had been reached.

As part of the outcome, an agreed statement was read out in court on behalf of Mr Givan and the second defendant, UTV Media Plc.

Counsel for the DUP politician, said: "On September 5, 2011, Paul Givan MLA, Chair of the Assembly's Committee for Justice, participated in a live televised interview on UTV Live, during the course of which he made comments questioning the integrity and impartiality of Baroness Nuala O'Loan during her tenure as Police Ombudsman.

"Mr Givan unreservedly withdraws and apologises for any such defamatory imputations, which he fully accepts were totally without foundation."

"UTV unreservedly apologises for its failure to react adequately to the dissemination of the defamatory material."

The statement added: "Both defendants sincerely apologise to Baroness O'Loan for any distress and embarrassment caused as a result of the offending broadcast.

"As a mark of their regret, the defendants have agreed to pay the plaintiff a substantial sum in damages and to pay her legal costs."