Frankie Boyle ‘callous’ and ‘insensitive’ says Daily Mirror QC

By BRIAN FARMER
Published on 20/10/2012 00:00

Comedian Frankie Boyle has come under attack from the tabloid newspaper he is suing for libel after being described as “racist”.

A lawyer representing the Daily Mirror told a jury yesterday that Mr Boyle was “callous” and “insensitive”.

Ronald Thwaites, QC, said jurors should not find in the Scots comedian’s favour.

And he said if the jury thought Mr Boyle had been libelled, they should show their “contempt” by awarding damages of 45p – the price of a copy of the Daily Mirror.

But a lawyer representing Mr Boyle said being called “racist” was “extremely serious” – and defamatory.

Mr Boyle has complained that the Mirror libelled him by describing him as “racist comedian Frankie Boyle” in an article.

He says he has actively campaigned against racism and that he parodies racists, and he claims the newspaper “misunderstood” the context of his use of language in jokes.

Daily Mirror publisher Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) is defending its article, which was published on 19 July, 2011.

MGN lawyers have described Mr Boyle as a “racist comedian”.

The trial, at the High Court in London, is due to end next week.