The former deputy prime minister of Barbados accepted substantial libel damages over a suggestion in Country Life that she had assaulted another woman.
Mia Amor Mottley, a QC and MP who is now leader of the Barbados Labour Party, had brought proceedings in London’s High Court over an article in the April issue of the magazine.
Her solicitor-advocate, David Price, told Mr Justice Eady that it referred to a Barbadian calypso song which suggested that she had assaulted another woman.
“The truth is that, contrary to the article, the claimant has never assaulted anyone in the manner described in the article or indeed at all.
“Unknown to the defendant, the suggestion of assault made in the calypso song was based on a totally unfounded rumour designed to smear the claimant as a senior female politician in the Caribbean and Commonwealth.”
Price said that Mottley was deeply hurt and embarrassed by the article, which was extremely damaging to her reputation.
Publisher IPC Media had apologised and had agreed to pay her substantial damages and her legal costs.
Its solicitor-advocate, Paul Fox, said that it accepted that the allegations were false and should not have been published.
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