FORMER NORTHERN Ireland chief constable Sir Hugh Orde is to receive substantial libel damages over false newspaper allegations that he spent public money flying his son to the United States, it was announced yesterday.
The settlement of the action brought over an article in the Sunday Worldis believed to be one of the biggest of its kind reached in the North.
As well as agreeing to pay out the undisclosed sum, lawyers for the paper’s publishers also apologised at the High Court in Belfast.
Sir Hugh, who left the PSNI earlier this year to become president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, sued over a story which appeared in May 2007.
It erroneously claimed that he used PSNI funds to take his son with him when he travelled to the US to attend St Patrick’s Day functions in Washington.
His lawyers confirmed in court yesterday that all aspects of the case have now been settled.
As part of the resolution a statement was read out by senior counsel for the defendants, Sunday Newspapers Ltd.
The barrister said: "On May 6th, 2007, an article was published in the Sunday Worldunder the headline 'Orde son's US flights paid by PSNI'.
“The defendant, Sunday Newspapers Ltd, acknowledges that there was absolutely no dishonesty or impropriety on the part of Sir Hugh Orde in relation to any aspect of his expenses in his position as chief constable of PSNI.
“Specifically, the defendant accepts that Sir Hugh Orde’s son did not travel with him on the flights referred to in the article and that this allegation was untrue. Sunday Newspapers Ltd apologises to Sir Hugh Orde for any upset and embarrassment caused to him and has agreed to pay him a substantial sum in damages together with his legal costs.”
Sir Hugh’s legal team refused to confirm the amount of damages due to confidentiality reasons.
However, it is understood to be one of the largest settlements reached in the NI courts.
Sir Hugh’s lawyer Paul Tweed said his client was very satisfied with the “complete and categoric vindication of his reputation”.
The lawyer added: "He nonetheless remains extremely disappointed and frustrated that it has taken more than two years for the Sunday Worldto apologise for allegations that should never have been published in the first place.
“Not only was the journalist told on two occasions prior to publication that the allegations were completely without foundation, but the journalist concerned was himself in the USA reporting on our client’s trip and ought to have been well aware that our client’s son had not even travelled with him.”