04/07/2005

Lineker and Kewell settle libel case

Former England football star Gary Lineker and Liverpool player Harry Kewell have reached a settlement in their High Court libel case.

Australian footballer Kewell had launched the libel action against the television presenter, as well as ‘Sunday Telegraph’ sports editor Jon Ryan and Telegraph Group LTD, following what he alleged was a “hurtful and humiliating attack” in Mr Lineker’s newspaper column in July 2003.

Mr Kewell alleged that the article, which focused on his transfer from Leeds to Liverpool, had accused him of being a fool and implied that he was guilty of dishonourable conduct.

The defendants had pleaded ‘fair comment’, claiming that the article was aimed, not at Mr Kewell, but at the transfer system itself.

Last month, the jury in the case was discharged after failing to reach a verdict on whether or not Mr Kewell had been defamed by the article.

Mr Kewell’s solicitor Chris Farnell said that that both parties had reached an agreement and would not be seeking a new trial. He said: “We don’t intend to comment on the terms of the settlement.”

(KMcA/MB)

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