Noel Clarke tells court he is ‘victim of unlawful conspiracy’
The actor’s lawyer told the High Court that the Guardian reported being “judge, jury and executive” for Noel Clarke’s career and reputation.
The 49-year-old is suing defamation papers for a series of articles in 2021 and 2022, including allegations of sexual misconduct.
At the beginning of the trial, in the written submission, the legal team of Doctor Who and Kidko stars said it was wrong that he was a “serial abuser of women” and that he was the victim of “illegal conspiracy.”
The Guardian News and Media (GNM) told the court it would defend its journalism as both real and in the public interest and described the conspiracy as “wild allegations.”
The newspaper’s articles feature claims by many women in the film and television industry, who reportedly accused him of groping and sexual misconduct for years.
Mr. Clark’s lawyer Philip Williams told the court that his client was wrongly called the Predator.
“Sexual predators are not feminine people, are not extramarital affair, are flirting people, are not men seeking opportunities for mutually beneficial sex,” he said.
“Mr. Clark is definitely not a sexual predator, never, never.
The barrister continued: “The guardians act like archaeologists trying to dig out the past…they come up with a more story than a colander.”
Mr Williams said the actor has been “completely exiled” by the film industry since the story was published and “received as criminals by all those who have worked with him and worked with him before.”
In his written submission to the trial, he said that GNM’s source was “hostile” and had an attack on the actors “attack to grind” and that the “conspirator’s “intention” was to make him “irreparable” financial and reputational damage.
Mr Williams said the actor “apparently established the falsehood of all the allegations”.
However, Gavin Millar KC for GNM said in a written article that there is “full evidence” that all articles are true or substantial.
The Guardian said the trial would hear from 16 women, who said they would introduce Mr. Clark’s actions to the court. It said they will provide evidence of harassment, unnecessary sexual behavior and sexual assault.
It said: “They had no motive to lie, and the claimants made no suggestions, except for wild allegations of the alleged conspiracy.”
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