Laurence Fox has lost his appeal for his forthcoming legal battle with former Coronation Street actress Nicola Thorp, Drag Race UK star Crystal and former Stonewall trustee Simon Blake to be heard by a jury.
Last month, the 43-year-old actor requested a jury hear his libel trial against the trio, who are suing the actor after he allegedly referred to them as “paedophiles” on Twitter during an online spat in October 2020.
Laurence is in turn counter-suing all parties over tweets he claims accused him of racism in a heated online exchange about Sainsbury’s decision to celebrate Black History Month.
On Wednesday (May 18), a judge denied Laurence’s request for a jury trial, stating that he had “no hesitation” in doing so.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
In his judgement, Mr Justice Nicklin said: “The defendant has not satisfied me that a fair-minded and informed observer would conclude that there was a real possibility that a judge trying this case alone would suffer from ‘involuntary bias’.”
He later added: “The fair-minded and informed observer must be taken to know that, faithful to his/her judicial oath, the judge in this case would be required to apply the law to the determination of the issues in the case, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.
“Because the definition to be applied to ‘racism’ in this case is a core issue, necessarily the judge deciding this issue will have to give a reasoned judgment on this very point.
“That is a better safeguard of avoiding error than directing a jury trial.”
(Image: ITV)
At a hearing last month, Laurence’s lawyers requested that a jury hear the libel trial as opposed to a judge.
The practise is scarcely heard of in modern-day defamation cases.
Acting on behalf of the Reclaim Party leader, Alexandra Marzec said a jury would be better placed to reach a fair verdict “in light of the cultural and social context of this case” and argued judges could be subject to “involuntary bias”.
Mr Justice Nicklin disagreed, reasoning that the grounds for appeal on the results of a jury trial are more difficult to prove.
Speaking of her decision to sue the White Lines star, Crystal previously said: “An accusation of paedophilia is one of the oldest homophobic tropes, and it was very shocking to have that levelled at me, not just by Mr Fox, but also his many followers who believed him.
“I may have had to endure homophobic bullying as a child, but I will not tolerate it as an adult.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
