Blogger wins libel case over 'hooker' headline

Published on Friday 21 May 2010 23:15

THE author of an award- winning internet blog has accepted "substantial" libel damages over a newspaper headline alleging she had been a "hooker".

Mr Justice Eady, sitting at the High Court in London, heard that "well-known writer and feminist" Zoe Margolis had suffered damage to her reputation, distress and embarrassment as a result of the headline in the Independent on Sunday.

Her lawyer, Lucy Moorman, told the judge that on 7 March the newspaper published an article written by Ms Margolis, author of the blog "Girl With a One-Track Mind" and a top- selling book of the same title.

Ms Moorman said: "In part of the first edition of the newspaper and online, this article carried the headline 'I was a hooker who became an agony aunt'.

"This headline was written by the newspaper, not by the claimant. The words complained of also featured in the internet link to the article …and, in that form, were published widely on the internet."

The defendant, Independent News & Media, publisher of the newspaper and the Independent website, "accepts that the wording of the headline was a mistake and seriously defamatory of the claimant". Ms Moorman said: "It accepts that the claimant is not and never has been 'a hooker' or otherwise involved in the sex industry."

The lawyer said that Ms Margolis was an ambassador for the young people's sexual health charity Brook and a "regular commentator in the media on issues relating to feminism, sex, e-business and the internet".

On 14 March, the defendant published an apology in the newspaper and online: "The defendant is here today to further publicly and sincerely apologise to the claimant for the damage to her reputation and the distress and embarrassment which she has suffered."

The damages sum was not disclosed in court.