Payout after comic Alan Davies retweeted false sex claims

Comedian Alan Davies has paid damages to former Conservative Party deputy chairman Lord McAlpine after he “re-tweeted” a Twitter post which linked the peer’s name to a forthcoming television report about a “senior political figure who is a paedophile”, a High Court judge was told yesterday.

Davies apologised for the “great damage and distress” his tweeting caused Lord McAlpine, Mr Justice Tugendhat heard. Neither man was at the High Court in London yesterday to hear lawyers outline details of the libel action to the judge.

Davies hoped other Twitter users would be more aware of the “potential damaging consequences of tweeting”, a lawyer representing the comedian told the judge.

He accepted that the allegations about Lord McAlpine were  completely untrue, the judge was told.

Lawyers did not how much Davies had paid Lord McAlpine.

Sir Edward Garnier QC, for Lord McAlpine, told the judge that Newsnight broadcast a report accusing an unnamed “leading Conservative politician from the Thatcher years” of sexually abusing boys in care.

Sir Edward, a Conservative MP, said the theme of the investigation was the subject of a tweet before it was broadcast and Davies tweeted: “Any clues who this Tory paedophile is...?”

He said a few minutes later Davies received a reply saying “lord mcalpine, some would say”.

He added: “Most unfortunately, Mr Davies re-tweeted that tweet.” He added: “The allegations about Lord McAlpine were completely untrue, as Mr Davies and those involved in the Newsnight programme now accept. Mr Davies has withdrawn the allegation unreservedly.

“Mr Davies’s re-tweet caused Lord McAlpine great embarrassment.”