Noel Clarke has lost his libel case against the Guardian, with a High Court judge ruling that the newspaper's sexual misconduct investigation was substantially true. The actor, known for roles in Doctor Who and Kidulthood, had accused the Guardian of a conspiracy among people with grudges against him.
During the five-week trial, 26 witnesses testified against Clarke, describing bullying, professional misconduct, and sexual misconduct. Mrs Justice Steyn found Clarke was "not a credible or reliable witness" and concluded he was "untruthful about most of the allegations, in his efforts to salvage his career".
Clarke argued that societal standards had changed, claiming that actions acceptable a decade ago were now viewed differently. He said dance moves at Notting Hill carnival could be considered assault in other cultures. His barrister highlighted Benny Hill and Little Britain as examples of now-inappropriate content, suggesting Clarke was a victim of historical revisionism.
The judge dismissed Clarke's conspiracy claims as "unfounded and meritless", ruling that the Guardian's articles were published in the public interest. Clarke spent over three-and-a-half days in the witness box, longer than all other defence witnesses combined.
One exception was actress Louise Dylan, who testified that Clarke did not grope her at a wrap party, an allegation brought into the case by the Guardian's amended defence. The judge accepted that Clarke did not grope Dylan, but upheld the majority of the other accusations.
