Countdown star Rachel Riley wins £50,000 after suing pro-Corbyn blogger who called her a ‘serial abuser’
RACHEL Riley has been awarded £50,000 in damages after winning a libel claim against a pro-Corbyn blogger who called her a "serial abuser".
Ms Riley, who appears on the hit Channel 4 show Countdown, sued Mike Sivier after he published an article on his website Vox Political in January 2019.
His headline read: "Serial abuser Rachel Riley to receive 'extra protection' - on grounds that she is receiving abuse".
The article discussed tweets posted as part of an online debate on antisemitism in the Labour Party.
Some of these were exchanged between Ms Riley and a user who identified herself then as a 16-year-old called Rose in December 2018 and January 2019.
A judge previously found that Mr Sivier's article would be read as claiming Ms Riley "engaged upon, supported and encouraged a campaign of online abuse and harassment of a 16-year-old girl", allegations denied by Ms Riley.
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Mr Sivier defended the libel claim by arguing he had a "reasonable belief" it was in the public interest to publish the claims in the article.
However, in a judgment on Wednesday, Mrs Justice Steyn ruled in favour of Ms Riley.
She was granted a five-figure sum in damages as well as an injunction requiring Mr Sivier to remove the article and not repeat it.