Polanski's risky legal action

British courts will be deciding this month if director Roman Polanski will be allowed to sue for libel in an English court, without risking extradition to America.

Last year Vanith Fair magazine alleged Polanski tried to seduce a woman while she was dining with another man in a New York restaurant in 1969, shortly after the brutal murder of his wife, actress Sharon Tate.

But the Polish-born Oscar winner - who has lived in Paris since fleeing the US in 1978 while awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old girl - wants to defend his name, and sue the magazine under English law.

As a naturalised French citizen, Polanksi is currently safe from extradition, but faces arrest as soon as he steps on English soil under a new extradition treaty between the UK and US.

Nobody has ever fought a libel action in Britain without appearing in court, but Polanski's lawyers have asked if he can give evidence via closed-circuit television from France.

Judge Mr Justice Eady ruled last year Polanski should not be forced to risk his liberty to obtain justice - but Vanity Fair appealed and a court of appeal overturned the Judge's decision.

Polanski was given the right to appeal - which will take place on November 17 in London and he plans to claim refusal to allow him to give evidence via video link is an infringement of his human rights.