Dante Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 Four newspapers are to set to pay damages to the parents of Madeleine McCann, after settling a libel case, the BBC has learned. The Daily and Sunday Express, along with the Daily Star and Daily Star Sunday are to pay a "substantial" sum and print front-page apologies. Kate and Gerry McCann's lawyers said that some of the newspapers' articles were "grossly defamatory". The couple say all the damages will be donated to the Find Madeleine fund. The Daily Express is to carry a full front-page apology in Wednesday's paper, while the Star's apology will take over half its front-page. The papers are expected to apologise for suggesting Kate and Gerry McCann were involved in their daughter's disappearance. The action relates to more than a hundred stories across the four titles, including 42 printed in the Daily Express. Under the terms of the settlement - at Kate and Gerry McCann's insistence - Express Newspapers' barrister will also read out an apology before a judge at the High Court on Wednesday. The Express group has agreed to all the McCanns' requests. It is also paying all their costs. The McCanns have promised that the damages will be paid into the "fighting fund" set up to pay for efforts to find their missing daughter. 'Trust and credibility' Media commentator Roy Greenslade said that for two national newspapers to carry front-page apologies at the same time was "unprecedented". "I think this is an amazing stand-down, u-turn, by the Express newspapers," he said. "I think when people realise that more than 100 stories have been complained about as being grossly defamatory, it will annihilate the Express' readers sense of trust and credibility in their newspaper." Media lawyer Paul Gilbert from Finers Stephens Innocent said the courts encourage early settlement of defamation cases. "Clearly the Express' lawyers felt this was a case they should settle without a high-profile trial - which it would be - and as a result have saved considerable costs," he said. "It certainly is a warning sign to newspapers in the future, if they're going to speculate, they've got to be very careful about what they speculate about." Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, went missing, aged three, in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on 3 May last year. BBC.NEWS
Rummy Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 Is it terrible that I'm so fucking fed up with all this McCann shit? I wish they'd just go away, it's been nearly a year, I don't wanna keep hearing about it ALL the time. I don't wish for any parent to lose their child, but they did a fucking shit job of being parents leaving their children unattended, quit whining and make sure you never repeat your mistake. As for Madeline, well, I do wish that she's safe and alive still and all, and that she'll be having a happy life, and ideally be reunited with her parents. As I said though, it's been nearly a year, just...shut up already. Some people will say I have no compassion, but I'm simply gonna say that's not true, and I won't bother arguing over it.
Gizmo Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 I'm actually past caring about Madeleine by now. People go missing all the time, why is this one so special that the parents should be paraded all over the news every day?
nightwolf Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 I'm the same, to be honest it's either she's dead or her parents are scamming alot of people or both. It needs to get to the point where if everyone else can handle finding their daughters without the press then why can't they..
ShadowV7 Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 Nah it's not terrible for not caring. I've never cared to much about this, don't care about it now. Kids are kidnapped all the time but never get a mention, why is this so different? Though I never realised Madeline was missing for this long. I still think the parents did something or know something else. They always looked so odd on TV, especially the mum. So emotionless.
Dyson Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 Wow, what used to be sadness has turned in to pure "fuck off"ness at the McCanns.
Cube Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 She wouldn't have been kidnapped if the parents weren't complete morons. Why should the papers have to give them money?
gaggle64 Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 You mean the newpapers have been lying to blow up an otherwise pointless and mundane story? Who'd have thunk it?
Roostophe Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 Are there any people who still care nowadays? I remember reading in the papers over Christmas letters people had sent in saying "I couldn't enjoy Christmas knowing that Little Maddy still hadn't been found. My thoughts are with the family at this festive time." I couldn't believe what I was reading! Fuck!
Cube Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 Still, at least they're wasting the money be pouring it into a totally useless fund.
Daft Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 Sensationalism like this is part of the reason I don't bother with the papers anymore.
Tellyn Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 She wouldn't have been kidnapped if the parents weren't complete morons. Why should the papers have to give them money? Precisely! Let's leave three children who are all under the age of 5 in a hotel room in a foreign country whilst we go out and get pissed!
mcj metroid Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 i said this since the first thread here...the parents did it...and fuck off im still of hearing it
Chris the great Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 the papers once say what im thinking and it gets then sued. for the record, shes dead. like my interest in the story. the parents may not have actualy killed her, but there actions as good as signed her death warrent.
Bren Posted March 18, 2008 Posted March 18, 2008 It needs to get to the point where if everyone else can handle finding their daughters without the press then why can't they.. If the newspapers were behind you trying to find your kid, i bet you'd keep using it till you couldnt anymore. Theyre just being parents, let em keep media attention, it all helps with them hopefully finding madeline. Just ignore it in the papers, let em look for her lol She wouldn't have been kidnapped if the parents weren't complete morons. Why should the papers have to give them money? Why should the parents be blamed for it, they made a mistake, lots of people do. The papers are giving money to help the fund, which will most probably start to be put to find other children i reckon. Its better money spent on funding the cause, than funding the papers to print more storys on big brother and which new tattoo david beckham has. Im not keeping my eye on this or anything, iv ignored it mostly lol. But people shouldnt be calling it pointless.
EEVILMURRAY Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 Is it terrible that I'm so fucking fed up with all this McCann shit? I just have to wonder how the McCanns feel when it was revealed Shannon Matthews was found quicker.
Guest Stefkov Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 They're long over their 15 minutes of fame. A white family can do this, but get a story of a black kid being nabbed. Bet there won't be any. Kids go missing every day it's only those that think their kid is even more special than the rest they make up a little story for the media to get their attention on it. Why the fuck did you leave your kids in a room alone you idiots. In the end it's their fault.
The fish Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 Sensationalism like this is part of the reason I don't bother with the papers anymore. Read Private Eye, fool! You'd like it! :awesome: I am beyond caring about Maddy McCann. She's almost definitly dead. So are most of the other children who disappear around the world and are never found.
Esequiel Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 Why should the parents be blamed for it, they made a mistake, lots of people do. Im a parent, theres no way id leave my kids unattended ANYWHERE let alone abroad. Its just plain fucking dumb. A white family can do this, but get a story of a black kid being nabbed. Bet there won't be any. Thats not true and its quite racist. I agree with everything else you say though. At the end of the day the reason this gets so much coverage is because the Mcanns are upper class people. If it was an ordinary working class family they would have had there children taken off them by now and be locked up. I feel for the family, it must be really hard. But they bought it on themselves and for the sake of Madeline if she was kidnapped by p**** then she would be better off dead.
Charlie Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 I'm actually past caring about Madeleine by now. People go missing all the time, why is this one so special that the parents should be paraded all over the news every day? Because they're white, middle class doctors.
MoogleViper Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 Because they're white, middle class doctors. And she was a young blonde girl. To be honest going to the papers has killed her. If a criminal has taken her he would be too scared to send a ransom demand.
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