OK! magazine today left London’s
Appeal Court more than £2.5 million poorer. In the aftermath of the
magazine’s defeat in the battle with rival Hello! over the use of
unauthorised wedding pictures of Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael
Douglas the court ordered OK! to repay £1.047 million it was awarded in
damages by the High Court.
Appeal Court more than £2.5 million poorer. In the aftermath of the
magazine’s defeat in the battle with rival Hello! over the use of
unauthorised wedding pictures of Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael
Douglas the court ordered OK! to repay £1.047 million it was awarded in
damages by the High Court.
It also ordered OK! to repay £700,000 plus
£180,000 in interest that Hello! had paid towards its legal costs in
the wake of the High Court ruling. With an order that OK! pay £600,000
as an interim payment towards Hello! magazine’s legal costs the total
bill for OK! stands at £2,527,000.
£180,000 in interest that Hello! had paid towards its legal costs in
the wake of the High Court ruling. With an order that OK! pay £600,000
as an interim payment towards Hello! magazine’s legal costs the total
bill for OK! stands at £2,527,000.
OK! will have to pay a further contribution
towards Hello! magazine’s estimated £1.5 million costs but that
contribution will be assessed later. Their own legal costs are expected
to be similar. OK! were also refused permission to appeal to the House
of Lords against the Appeal Court’s ruling last year in favour of
Hello! However, lawyers for OK! confirmed that they will be asking the
Law Lords directly for permission to appeal to them. They also added
that the Douglases remain happy with their award and would not be
taking part in any further proceedings. Outside Court afterwards,
towards Hello! magazine’s estimated £1.5 million costs but that
contribution will be assessed later. Their own legal costs are expected
to be similar. OK! were also refused permission to appeal to the House
of Lords against the Appeal Court’s ruling last year in favour of
Hello! However, lawyers for OK! confirmed that they will be asking the
Law Lords directly for permission to appeal to them. They also added
that the Douglases remain happy with their award and would not be
taking part in any further proceedings. Outside Court afterwards,
Chris Hutchings, solicitor for Hello! said : “We
hope this is an end to this matter which never should have got this
far. It is really a farce that it did over six pictures.”
hope this is an end to this matter which never should have got this
far. It is really a farce that it did over six pictures.”
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