Later this morning, the BBC will seek leave to appeal a ruling over its coverage of a raid on Sir Cliff Richard’s home by South Yorkshire Police.
Last week, High Court judge, Mr Justice Mann found that the BBC had infringed the singer’s privacy when it reported on a police raid in 2014. He also awarded him £210k in damages.
The BBC will write to the judge, arguing that it had a right to freedom of expression to publish his name and cover the raid. It will also appeal the sum awarded, because it was for “damages for injury to his reputation” rather than a defamation claim.
The corporation is likely to argue that both these rulings will have damaging effect on media outlets.
Immediately after the ruling, Fran Unsworth, director of news and current affairs at the BBC, said that the case: “represents a dramatic shift against press freedom” and “there is a significant principle at stake.”
The judge however explained that the BBC had infringed Sir Cliff’s privacy rights in a “serious and sensationalist way”.
Should Mr Justice Mann not grant an appeal against his own ruling, the BBC would have to go to the Court of Appeal.
