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| Sun on Sunday pays damages to man wrongly linked to serial killer | Sun on Sunday pays damages to man wrongly linked to serial killer |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Sun on Sunday ran a front page "world exclusive" last November headlined "I'm Fred West's love child". | The Sun on Sunday ran a front page "world exclusive" last November headlined "I'm Fred West's love child". |
| The story, about a 33-year-old man, Dean Barry, who had discovered his father was a convicted serial killer, was true enough. The picture, however, was not of him. Inadvertently, the paper had published a picture of his half-brother, who was unrelated to West. | The story, about a 33-year-old man, Dean Barry, who had discovered his father was a convicted serial killer, was true enough. The picture, however, was not of him. Inadvertently, the paper had published a picture of his half-brother, who was unrelated to West. |
| The wronged man, Neil Bachi, sued the paper and his lawyers issued a press release on Monday saying the publication had apologised and paid him substantial damages, thought be a five-figure sum. It also made a contribution towards his legal costs. | The wronged man, Neil Bachi, sued the paper and his lawyers issued a press release on Monday saying the publication had apologised and paid him substantial damages, thought be a five-figure sum. It also made a contribution towards his legal costs. |
| The front page is reproduced here with the picture blacked out. It carried a caption saying "Dean, aged seven" below a picture of Neil. | The front page is reproduced here with the picture blacked out. It carried a caption saying "Dean, aged seven" below a picture of Neil. |
| The Sun said: "We did not intend to suggest that Mr Bachi is related to Fred West and we apologise to Mr Bachi for the embarrassment caused." | The Sun said: "We did not intend to suggest that Mr Bachi is related to Fred West and we apologise to Mr Bachi for the embarrassment caused." |
| Bachi's lawyer, Paul Lunt, said: "This is a matter that has caused an enormous amount of upset and distress to our client. Cases involving improper identification are all too common and this was an example of the devastation that can be caused to someone's life when they are wrongly associated with a story." | Bachi's lawyer, Paul Lunt, said: "This is a matter that has caused an enormous amount of upset and distress to our client. Cases involving improper identification are all too common and this was an example of the devastation that can be caused to someone's life when they are wrongly associated with a story." |
| Lunt, head of litigation at the north-west law firm, Brabners Chaffe Street added: "Our client is very pleased with the apology and the terms of settlement provided by the Sun on Sunday, which we hope will assist our client in bringing the whole episode to a close." | Lunt, head of litigation at the north-west law firm, Brabners Chaffe Street added: "Our client is very pleased with the apology and the terms of settlement provided by the Sun on Sunday, which we hope will assist our client in bringing the whole episode to a close." |
| Fred West was accused with his wife, Rosemary, of murdering at least 11 young women after being arrested in 1994. He committed suicide before going for trial. His wife was jailed for life on 10 counts of murder. | Fred West was accused with his wife, Rosemary, of murdering at least 11 young women after being arrested in 1994. He committed suicide before going for trial. His wife was jailed for life on 10 counts of murder. |
| PS: At the time of writing, The Sun's website carries no mention of the apology and settlement. Update 2pm: A News International spokeswoman says this absence of an online statement was a specific request of Bachi's lawyers. |