While the sinking Sun continues to shed editorial jobs at a rate of knots, at least its legal department can be pretty confident it will be kept busy for some time to come.
Earlier, Rats in a Sack reported how, after running an interview with Paul Gullon-Scott, a former digital forensic investigator with Northumbria Police who viewed images of child abuse as part of his vital job, the paper went on to promote it on social media with a series of wildly misleading posts. Gullon-Scott is now seeking a public apology and damages from the paper.
Now it has emerged that the Sun has just had to pay what has been described as “substantial” libel damages to a former Coronation Street actor it accused, with no evidence whatsoever, of being linked to Islamic extremism.
Suggested Reading
The Sun’s very dodgy social media post
The paper has settled a claim with Qasim Akhtar, who played Zeedan Nazir in the cobblestoned soap until 2023, paying damages and his legal fees and agreeing not to repeat the allegations.
The newspaper had falsely alleged that Akhtar, who also starred in Shameless, had “backed” and “teamed up with” Uthman ibn Farooq, an Islamic cleric, and was associated with radicalisation and violence. It also falsely suggested he had moved to Pakistan and trained with guns.
In March Akhtar sued News Group Newspapers for defamation through the lawyers Taylor Hampton. And the company has quickly settled – printing one of the most damning corrections of recent times in the process.
The Sun said: “We now accept that these allegations were entirely false and should never have been published. Mr Akhtar has never endorsed or supported any such views and strongly condemns all forms of extremism and violence.
Suggested Reading
Hurrah for the Rothermeres!
“He has never been involved in or associated with radicalisation nor has he, as further falsely claimed, moved to Pakistan and undertaken firearms training. We have agreed to pay Mr Akhtar a sum in damages and apologise unreservedly for the serious harm and distress caused to him by the publication of these false allegations.”
For his part, Akhtar wrote on Instagram that: “To The Sun, I have no malice in my heart towards you, or the journalist involved in writing the article. Forgiveness is a staple in my religion. Islam teaches that forgiveness will take you so much further than harbouring hate and anger towards those who have wronged you, and that ultimately God is in control of everything.”
At News Group, of course, Rupert Murdoch is in control of everything – and hacks no doubt fear that the substantial damages will be paid for by shedding even more of the few experienced journalists they have left. Another way might be to flog more memberships of the two-quid-a-month Sun Club – and even the apparently immortal Murdoch might not be around long enough to see that pay for his underlings’ error.
Most popular
Pakistan’s solar miracle – how the hell did they do it?
Andy Burnham v London
Meet Young Bob, the teen Christian nationalist star of the UK’s hard right
A history of Brexit in 256 disasters
