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Andrew Mitchell 'probably called police plebs', judge rules Andrew Mitchell 'probably called police plebs', judge rules
(16 minutes later)
Ex-chief whip Andrew Mitchell probably did call police officers "plebs", a judge has said as he ruled against the Tory MP in a High Court libel action.Ex-chief whip Andrew Mitchell probably did call police officers "plebs", a judge has said as he ruled against the Tory MP in a High Court libel action.
Mr Justice Mitting described Mr Mitchell's behaviour as "childish" and said he found the MP's version of events inconsistent with CCTV footage of the row in Downing Street in 2012.Mr Justice Mitting described Mr Mitchell's behaviour as "childish" and said he found the MP's version of events inconsistent with CCTV footage of the row in Downing Street in 2012.
Mr Mitchell, who may face costs of £2m, said he was "bitterly disappointed".Mr Mitchell, who may face costs of £2m, said he was "bitterly disappointed".
The officer involved, PC Toby Rowland, said he hoped a "line can be drawn". An officer involved, PC Toby Rowland, said he hoped a "line can be drawn".
Mr Mitchell sued News Group Newspapers over a story that appeared in the Sun in September 2012 which claimed he called PC Toby Rowland a "pleb".
Mr Mitchell acknowledged that he had used bad language but maintained he had not used that word.
The altercation took place as Mr Mitchell, who was government chief whip at the time, attempted to leave Downing Street via the main gate on his bicycle.
'Politically toxic''Politically toxic'
Mr Justice Mitting gave his verdict after listening to two weeks of evidence from 26 witnesses and considering volumes of documents concerning a 15-second exchange. Mr Mitchell sued News Group Newspapers over a story that appeared in the Sun in September 2012 which claimed he called PC Rowland a "pleb".
Mr Mitchell acknowledged that he had used bad language but maintained he had not used that word.
Giving his ruling, Mr Justice Mitting said: "For the reasons given I am satisfied at least on the balance of probabilities that Mr Mitchell did speak the words alleged or something so close to them as to amount to the same including the politically toxic word 'pleb'."
He gave his verdict after listening to two weeks of evidence from 26 witnesses and considering volumes of documents concerning a 15-second exchange.
Weighing up the competing claims, the judge said PC Rowland was "not the sort of man who would have had the wit, imagination or inclination to invent on the spur of the moment an account of what a senior politician had said to him in temper".Weighing up the competing claims, the judge said PC Rowland was "not the sort of man who would have had the wit, imagination or inclination to invent on the spur of the moment an account of what a senior politician had said to him in temper".
He added that gaps and inconsistencies in PC Rowland's account did not demonstrate he fabricated his account, as Mr Mitchell's lawyers had claimed. He added that gaps and inconsistencies in PC Rowland's account did not demonstrate he had fabricated his account, as Mr Mitchell's lawyers claimed.
If he was making up his account, PC Rowland would have had to have come up with the words within seconds, according to the judge.If he was making up his account, PC Rowland would have had to have come up with the words within seconds, according to the judge.
Giving his ruling, Mr Justice Mitting said: "For the reasons given I am satisfied at least on the balance of probabilities that Mr Mitchell did speak the words alleged or something so close to them as to amount to the same including the politically toxic word pleb."
Outside court, the BBC's legal correspondent Clive Coleman said the ruling would be "devastating" for Mr Mitchell's reputation.Outside court, the BBC's legal correspondent Clive Coleman said the ruling would be "devastating" for Mr Mitchell's reputation.
The altercation took place as Mr Mitchell, who was government chief whip at the time, attempted to leave Downing Street via the main gate on his bicycle.
'Integrity restored'
Steve White, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said he was "pleased" that "Toby's name has been cleared and his integrity restored".
Stig Abell, managing editor of the Sun, also welcomed the verdict, hailing it as "a vindication for the Sun and its journalists - it is a victory for all journalism".
Michael Fabricant, another former whip and fellow Conservative MP who gave evidence during the trial, told the BBC his colleague could have kept his job if he had apologised.
"If only he'd shown a little more humility at the time all this could have been avoided," Mr Fabricant said.