An actress who was stated to have been groped by Noel Clarke denies having been touched inappropriately and stated she by no means spoke to Guardian journalists earlier than they printed allegations of sexual misconduct, the Excessive Courtroom has heard.
Clarke denies the allegations, whereas GNM is defending its reporting as being each true and within the public curiosity.
At a listening to on Friday, actress Louise Dylan stated she heard by way of a buddy that Clarke’s former enterprise accomplice Davie Fairbanks had claimed he noticed her being groped by Clarke on the wrap social gathering for The Knot.
“A friend called me and I said this did not happen. I told Noel that he has my support because it is a lie.”
She additionally stated she by no means spoke to journalists from the Guardian earlier than publication of the unique story in April 2021.
She stated: “They are reporters who are supposed to research an article before publishing something.
“I used to be advised I had spoken to those journalists to corroborate a narrative however I had not.”
She said she had been at the wrap party with her friend and her boyfriend, following a group dinner beforehand.
She said she didn’t “bear in mind [the wrap party] too properly,” adding, “I do not bear in mind the specifics of the social gathering apart from we had a pleasant time”.
Philip Williams, representing Clarke, beforehand advised the courtroom in written submissions that the actor “has clearly established the falsity of all of the allegations”.
The barrister continued that his consumer was “barely able to reply to the allegations” printed by the Guardian and was “perceived as a criminal by all those who previously trusted and worked with him”.
Gavin Millar KC, for GNM, stated in his written submissions that the paper “did not simply accept what was said to it” and that “much time and resource was devoted to getting to the truth”.
He additionally stated that there’s “ample evidence” that the entire articles have been true or considerably true.
Clarke is finest recognized for his roles in Physician Who and the Kidulthood film trilogy.
The listening to earlier than Mrs Justice Steyn is because of conclude subsequent month, with a call anticipated in writing at a later date.
