In a stunning legal reversal, comedian Steve Coogan has been ordered to pay substantial damages to renowned barrister David Sherborne after a High Court judge dramatically threw out his libel claim.
The Legal Battle That Backfired
The case centred around comments made by Sherborne during a 2022 hearing involving the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. Coogan had launched legal action claiming the barrister's remarks suggested he was a 'hypocrite' and 'sanctimonious' regarding his private life comments in the press.
However, Mr Justice Nicklin delivered a devastating blow to the Alan Partridge star, ruling his case was 'doomed to fail' from the outset. The judge found that Sherborne's comments were protected by absolute privilege and formed part of his professional duties as legal counsel.
A Costly Legal Misstep
The financial implications for Coogan are significant. Not only must he cover Sherborne's substantial legal costs, but he's also been ordered to make an interim payment of £25,000 towards those expenses. The final damages amount remains undisclosed but is expected to be considerable.
This legal defeat represents a remarkable turnaround for Coogan, who has previously been successful in privacy cases against newspaper groups. The judgment serves as a stark reminder that even high-profile celebrities can miscalculate when taking on legal professionals in their own domain.
What This Means for Celebrity Litigation
The ruling reinforces the protection afforded to legal professionals when making submissions in court proceedings. It establishes a clear precedent that comments made during legal hearings, even when involving public figures, enjoy absolute privilege when relevant to the case.
Legal experts suggest this judgment may make celebrities more cautious about targeting lawyers for comments made during court proceedings, recognising the robust protections the legal system provides to counsel performing their professional duties.
