The Times pays Mike Ashley 'substantial' damages for defamation

Mike Ashley called the story "comic book journalism"

Businessman Mike Ashley has received an apology from a newspaper which printed "untrue" allegations his phone records were "protected" during a legal battle.

Times Newspapers has agreed to pay "substantial" damages after being sued by the former Newcastle United owner.

The publisher told the High Court in London it had not intended to make the claims and accepted they were untrue.

Mr Ashley said it was a "disgraceful and irresponsible piece of comic book journalism".

In a statement issued by the Frasers Group, of which he is chief executive, he said: "The false allegations of wrongdoing against me were unrestrainedly published on the front page of The Times but did not contain a shred of truth."

The court found the paper's allegations concerning Mike Ashley's court battle with Jeffrey Blue to be defamatory

Adam Speker QC, representing Mr Ashley, told the court the paper had made the allegations as part of its investigation into mobile phone company Sport Mobile.

The paper's story suggested there were grounds to suspect Sport Mobile had helped Mr Ashley avoid disclosing text messages and phone records during High Court proceedings in 2017 with investment banker Jeffrey Blue, Mr Speker said.

It suggested Mr Ashley had told the court he could not produce the records while knowing Sport Mobile could in fact have obtained them, he said.

The High Court found the articles on 17 and 18 July 2020 were defamatory of Mr Ashley.

Mr Speker said The Times had "accepted that any allegations of wrongdoing by Mr Ashley in his litigation with Jeffrey Blue are untrue" and had printed a retraction.

Emily Costello, representing the publisher, told the court: "Times Newspapers Limited did not intend to make the allegations that the court found the articles to bear.

"It accepts that the allegations are untrue and withdraws them and apologises to Mr Ashley."