Actor Noel Clarke confronted a “trial by media” after The Guardian newspaper revealed allegations of sexual misconduct, a courtroom has heard. 

The 47-year-old is suing the newspaper’s publishers Guardian News and Media (GNM) for libel over eight articles – together with its April 2021 investigation that mentioned 20 ladies who knew Mr Clarke in an expert capability had come ahead with allegations of misconduct.

In an announcement on the time, he “vehemently” denied “any sexual misconduct or criminal wrongdoing”.

In a preliminary listening to on the High Court on Thursday, Adam Speker KC, Mr Clarke’s lawyer, mentioned the “overall impression” of the articles was “plainly one of guilt”.

Mr Speker mentioned the primary article within the declare included the “absolutely toxic allegation” of Mr Clarke being a “sexual predator”.

“They knew exactly what message they were sending by calling him a sexual predator, in the first two words of the headline,” he informed the courtroom in London.

The general impression of the articles was “gotcha”, Mr Speker mentioned.

“He [Mr Clarke] had had a very distinguished career… then the dam breaks, the women break their silence and they say ‘j’accuse’.”

Mr Clarke, who was greatest recognized for his roles in Doctor Who and Kidulthood, had his Bafta membership suspended after the allegations emerged, whereas TV channels reduce ties.

“This trial by media, conducted by the most-read newspaper for people in the film and entertainment industry, led, unsurprisingly, to Mr Clarke being immediately ‘cancelled’ in various ways,” Mr Speker mentioned in written submissions.

The courtroom was later informed the police had determined no felony investigation could be launched over the sexual offence allegations towards Mr Clarke.

Scotland Yard mentioned in an announcement in March 2022 that there had been a radical evaluation by specialist detectives, however they’d determined the knowledge wouldn’t meet the brink for a felony investigation.

While Mr Clarke’s denials have been included in The Guardian’s reporting, Mr Speker mentioned it “comes nowhere near close” to mitigating the influence of the articles.

“There is nothing he could say and nothing he does say that minimises what the natural and ordinary reader would have taken from the articles: that he is a sexual predator and is guilty of the charges,” he mentioned.

Gavin Millar KC, representing GNM, mentioned the articles could be learn as reporting “reasonable grounds to suspect” Mr Clarke had abused his energy, bullied or sexually harassed ladies, slightly than a direct allegation of guilt.

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“The appropriate meaning is therefore a general charge, essentially of abuse of power to subject women to sexual harassment and other related misconduct,” Mr Millar mentioned in written submissions.

“In this context, no reasonable reader would assume an allegation is true merely because it has been made.”

Mr Millar additionally mentioned a standard reader would perceive the claims towards Mr Clarke have been a matter of public curiosity.

The listening to earlier than Mr Justice Johnson is because of conclude on Thursday with a choice anticipated at a later date.