Footballer Rent Row Claim Form in the Public Interest, Journal Tells Court

The Journal was able to publish a story about an out of court settlement of a legal dispute over rent between Premier League footballer El Hadj Diouf and his former landlords.

The case was due to go to trial at Newcastle County Court last week but both parties agreed a settlement before it was due to start, which included a confidentiality agreement around the case.

Before the hearing, Journal reporter Emma King asked the court clerk to ask the judge if she could see the claim form – a public document. Emma said that publishing the allegations in the claim form was in the public interest.

But when Emma’s request was mentioned in open court, Diouf’s barrister protested citing the confidentiality agreement between the two parties.

He was advised by the judge that the document was public but he could make an application to keep it secret if he wished. Diouf’s barrister did not apply for an order to prevent publication.

The paper then ran the story.

Emma said: “I was worried at one stage that I wasn’t going to get a story as I knew no details of the case would be mentioned in court both parties had agreed to settle out of court.”

“But, as I was in court, I was able to make my interest in the claim form known and the judge then made clear that it was a public document, despite the existence of a confidentiality agreement between the two parties.”