The Sun lays down the gauntlet to Naomi Campbell over blood diamond testimony

The Sun today laid down the gauntlet to litigious supermodel Naomi Campbell over inconsistencies in her evidence to the Hague war-crimes trial of former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor.

Its front page goes further than any other title today in reporting the difference between her account of receiving some “dirty looking pebbles” and that of Mia Farrow who told the tribunal that Campbell said: “Oh my God – Charles Taylor sent me a huge diamond.”

The Daily Mirror relegated its coverage to page 11, using the headline: “BLOODIED – Campbell’s diamond claims contradicted – twice”.

The Mirror was left with a costs bill for Campbell’s lawyers Schillings of £594,000 when it lost the final round of its privacy battle with her at the House of Lords in 2004. Campbell was awarded £4,500 over photographs of her leaving a Narcotics Anonymous meeting.

Then Mirror editor Piers Morgan called for Campbell to be tried for perjury in 2002 after a judge criticised her for inconsistencies in testimony about her drug problem in a hearing which was part of the same legal battle.

Today’s Sun front page put me in mind of the classic press statement issue by Morgan in response to Campbell winning at the House of Lords in May 2004:

“This is a good day for lying, drug-abusing prima donnas who want to have their cake with the media and the right to then shamelessly guzzle it with the Cristal champagne.”