Misery memoir writer Smith settles battle for damages from publisher

A HIGH Court damages action brought by misery memoir author Amanda Smith against her publishers has been settled for an undisclosed sum

Headline Publishing Group announced yesterday that there had been an "amicable" settlement in the case.

It said: "Both parties, Amanda Smith and Headline, have reached an amicable settlement of an undisclosed amount.

"Amanda Smith said she 'is delighted to be vindicated after what has been an horrendous journey'.

"Headline have accepted that mistakes were made by them with the way in which matters were handled. Amanda Smith now accepts Headline did not act dishonestly or in bad faith."

It said that Tim Hely Hutchinson, chief executive of Hachette UK Ltd, the parent company of Headline, "has apologised for the actions of Headline and wishes Amanda well for the future".

At a recent hearing in London Ms Smith, a mother of five from Hertfordshire, won her claim for breach of contract, but failed to prove other parts of her claim.

Deputy judge Bernard Livesey QC, sitting in the Chancery Division of London's High Court, ruled Headline Publishing Group Ltd breached its contractual obligations by failing to give Ms Smith "appropriate warnings and advice" at an early stage as she wrote her first book, Toxic.

The work concerned allegedly abusive relationships and was abandoned by Headline shortly before the publication date following legal advice that it was potentially libellous.