PR consultant wins libel action over work for minister

Former Government PR consultant Monica Leech tonight won a lawsuit against the Evening Herald which defamed her in its coverage of her work as special adviser to former Environment Minister Martin Cullen.

A jury found articles published in November and December 2004 implied she won lucrative public relations contracts because she was having an affair with the minister.

Mrs Leech, 49, of Otteran Place, South Parade, Waterford, who denies having a sexual relationship with Mr Cullen, sued Independent Newspapers (Irl) Ltd, which owns the Dublin paper.

The media group fought the libel action, arguing at the High Court that the articles suggested the married mother-of-two got the job as a result of cronyism.

Mrs Leech, who sat at the back of the courtroom next to her husband John, showed no emotion as the jury returned the majority verdict.

Jurors had been told to decide if articles in the Evening Herald meant the plaintiff had an extramarital affair with Minister Cullen and, secondly, if they meant she travelled to New York for a United Nations conference with the minister and failed to ever attend.

After four hours of deliberations a majority found she was libelled on the first point, but unanimously ruled she had not been libelled on the second question.

It is the third time Mrs Leech has successfully cleared her name.

In May 2007, RTE agreed to pay her €250,000 in damages in respect of comments made on a radio show in December 2004.

In November 2008 she also secured damages, understood to be about €125,000 plus costs, from Associated Newspapers over two newspaper articles published in Ireland on Sunday.

It is understood at least one other case against a news organisation is outstanding.