Grant and Hurley win photos damages

4:31pm Thursday 15th May 2008

Hugh Grant, Liz Hurley and her husband Arun Nayar have accepted £58,000 damages for invasion of privacy over photos taken of them while they were on holiday in a private resort in the Maldives.

None of them were at London's High Court for the settlement of their action against Big Pictures (UK) Ltd and Eliot Press SARL - who will pay the compensation with contributions from Associated Newspapers and News Group Newspapers.

Their solicitor, Laura Tyler, told Mr Justice Eady that the photos were taken covertly without their knowledge while they were on holiday in a resort which they had chosen for the complete privacy and seclusion it offered.

"It has been most upsetting for the claimants to have their privacy invaded by these defendants."

She said that the photographic agencies had also apologised unequivocally and had agreed to pay some of the claimants' legal costs.

Ms Tyler said that, in October 2007, Eliot Press, which has offices in Paris and the south of France, obtained photos of the claimants and granted London-based Big Pictures the right to sell them in the UK and Ireland.

Subsequently, Big Pictures supplied the photos in high resolution format, and in consideration of a licence fee which has never been paid, to News Group Newspapers and Associated Newspapers. The photos were offered to a number of other newspapers and celebrity magazines.

Mr Tyler said that News Group published three of the photos in the 3G section of the News of the World in an article headed "Liz does the blokey-cokey", and also online.

Associated published four photos in The Mail on Sunday in an article headed "Hugh's that gooseberry?", and online.

Matthew Nicklin, counsel for the agencies, said that they offered their apologies for any distress which they may have caused.

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