Libel win for lawyer

Bedford Borough Council's in-house solicitor, Michael Gough, has won a libel appeal against the publishers of Bedfordshire on Sunday newspaper and an election agent after the paper accused him of gross incompetence for his handling of a court application.

The dispute centred on a borough council election in May 2000 in which an envelope of uncounted votes was discovered after the results were declared.

Although the votes were counted and did not affect the outcome, Mr Gough and in-house barrister Andrew Darkoh, submitted an application two weeks later to the county court for a recount of the votes for one ward.

After the council dropped the application, Stewart Lister, the election agent for the successful Conservative candidate, issued a press release in which he described Mr Gough and Mr Darkoh as 'incompetent'.

The Bedford on Sunday printed an article quoting Mr Lister, in which he also said he was 'appalled' that the council's chief executive Shaun Field had used taxpayers' money to take such a case to court.

Mr Lister and Local Sunday Newspapers, the publishers of Bedfordshire on Sunday, settled part of Mr Field's claim prior to trial last year, and he was also awarded damages at its conclusion.

Mr Gough and Mr Darkoh lost their original actions.

Mr Darkoh, who lost at first instance on the same grounds as Mr Gough, was granted permission to appeal but chose not to pursue the action for personal reasons.

Last month, the Court of Appeal allowed Mr Gough's appeal, finding that he had reached 'the right answers on most of the important issues'.

Mr Gough, who was represented by leading libel firm Peter Carter-Ruck & Partners, said: 'I am delighted that three appeal judges have vindicated me.' Local Sunday Newspapers was represented by Farrer & Co.

Farrers partner Rupert Grey declined to comment until submissions for damages and costs were settled.

Victoria MacCallum