By Roger Pearson
A model lied to the News of the World when she sold the paper a
story in which she claimed to have had sex with pop idol Justin
Timberlake.
Timberlake accepted public apologies and “substantial” damages in
the High Court from News Group Newspapers, publisher of the News of the
World, and model Lucy Clarkson.
The court was told Clarkson
accepted the story “was entire fabrication on her part” and that she
had not had an affair with Timberlake and he had not cheated on his
girlfriend, Cameron Diaz.
Solicitor Simon Smith, for Timberlake,
told the judge the piece at the centre of the libel claim appeared in
July 2004 under the headline: “Exclusive: bad news for Cameron as model
reveals lover’s secret fling. Trousersnake did dirty on Diaz with me (twice!)”
Smith
said none of the events or conversations described by Clarkson took
place. “In selling her story, she completely made up the fictional
events. She lied to the News of the World,” he said.
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