A woman the Guardian newspaper alleges was groped by actor Noel Clarke has denied being assaulted by him in evidence given on his behalf for a libel trial.
Clarke, best known for his roles in Kidulthood and Doctor Who, is suing the newspaper for defamation over a series of articles published in 2021 and 2022 that accused him of sexual misconduct and bullying.
Clarke has vehemently denied any sexual misconduct or criminal wrongdoing. In legal papers filed by the Guardian, it is alleged that ‘Freya’, not her real name, was assaulted by Clarke at a ‘wrap party’ for 2012 film The Knot.
The newspaper claims Clarke ‘went up alongside her and groped her from behind through her dress, in between her legs’ without her consent. But during a pre-trial hearing at the High Court last week, Clarke’s legal team said Freya was one of three people who feature in the Guardian’s defence who are giving evidence in support of Clarke.
The other two are an actor who is alleged to have sent Clarke a sex video that Clarke is alleged to have showed a female actor, and an actress who was said to have been directed by Clarke to kiss a fellow actress. It is understood that none of the three featured in any of the Guardian’s articles about Clarke.
Philip Williams, Clarke’s barrister, said the three ‘are our witnesses … who featured as part of [the Guardian’s] defence. Their point is, ‘It is just not true, we were never contacted. Those allegations never happened’.’
Despite featuring in the newspaper’s written defence, it is understood none of three has ever been a defence witness.
Clarke, 49, claims the allegations cost him lucrative acting roles, a Bafta award and that TV series he appeared in were dropped. His lawyers last week revealed he is seeking to increase his damages claim from £10 million to £70 million.
Clarke is suing the Guardian for defamation over a series of articles published in 2021 and 2022 that accused him of sexual misconduct and bullying
Clarke, 49, has vehemently denied any sexual misconduct or criminal wrongdoing
He claims the allegations cost him lucrative acting roles, a Bafta award and that TV series he appeared in were dropped
They claimed he is the victim of a conspiracy and that sources used by the Guardian peddled ‘entirely fabricated and false allegations’.
Gavin Millar KC, the Guardian’s barrister, said there was ‘no basis’ for Clarke’s allegation of a conspiracy. Mrs Justice Steyn ruled that an application by Clarke’s lawyers, which included a new ‘conspiracy’ claim, would be adjourned until after the libel trial.
The Guardian said: ‘Our reporting on Noel Clarke in 2021 was based on the accounts of 20 brave women. After we published our first article, more women came forward. In what appears to be an 11th-hour bid to derail the trial, Mr Clarke is making a number of baseless claims about witnesses and journalists.’
The trial is due to start in March.
