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The jury in the libel trial of former Eastenders actor Mo George against the Sun newspaper did not understand the proceedings, according to one member of the team. Last month George won £75,000 in damages from the newspaper following an article in the paper that alleged he beat up his lover and mother of his child.

The action cost the title £1,000,000, News Group Newspaper's senior lawyer Tom Crone told a parliamentary committee on press standards, privacy and libel today.

But, in a chance meeting in a pub after the trial, a juror told a member of the paper's defence team the jury had not understood the trial.

"'There was a big rich newspaper on one side and the little guy, so we decided to give it to the little guy'," the juror reportedly said, claimed Crone.

"You can have a two-week trial and the jury comes out the other end of it not understanding what's happened," added News of the World editor Colin Myler.

Under UK libel law the 'burden of proof' lies with the defendant, which has become 'a very onerous burden for newspapers', added Crone.

Myler and Crone were giving evidence on press standards, privacy and libel to a hearing of a House of Commons select committee . More coverage to follow on Journalism.co.uk.

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Written by

Laura Oliver
Laura Oliver
Laura Oliver is a freelance journalist, a contributor to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, co-founder of The Society of Freelance Journalists and the former editor of Journalism.co.uk (prior to it becoming JournalismUK)

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