Cruise did abandon Suri, says publisher in libel case

The publisher of Life & Style and In Touch, which is being sued by Tom Cruise for printing that the Jack Reacher star had abandoned his daughter Suri following his divorce from Katie Holmes, has fired back at the actor’s suit.

In an answer to Cruise’s defamation lawsuit, filed in October, Bauer Publishing Co says its reporting is “substantially true”.

Bauer’s answer, filed in a US District Court in California, also asserts a number of defences, including that it’s protected by the first, fifth and 14th amendments of the US Constitution, as well as Article 1, Section 7 of the California Constitution.

Bauer asserts it’s not liable for damages because — among other things — “some or all of the allegedly defamatory statements complained of by the plaintiff are true or substantially true”.

Bauer also claims that Cruise “cannot prove that he has suffered any compensable damage as a result of any actionable statement published by the Bauer defendants”, and that he is “a public figure and the Bauer defendants did not act with actual malice”.

Cruise’s attorney has not responded for comment.

The actor sued over stories published by Life & Style and its sister publication, In Touch, claiming Cruise had “abandoned” his six-year-old daughter, Suri.

Cruise’s attorney called the stories, published in July and October, “a disgusting, vicious lie”.

Meanwhile, reports are surfacing that Suri will have quite the Christmas morning.

The Sun is reporting that Katie Holmes is getting her daughter a mini iPad and a kiddie version of a Mercedes.

But her father has reportedly splashed out on a new home for Suri so she can keep her new pony there.

The actor is allegedly pulling out all the stops to make sure Suri has the perfect gifts this Christmas.

This will be Suri’s first Christmas since her parents divorced in July.

Among the gifts Suri will be receiving on Christmas Day — which she will spend with her father — is said to be a pony.

The extravagant gift will require housing, so Cruise has reportedly purchased a $13.5m (€10.1m) house in upstate New York, which is large enough to accommodate the pet.

“Tom is determined to make this the best Christmas ever,” a source told British magazine Grazia.

“Obviously there isn’t anywhere to keep a pony at Katie’s apartment, so this place is ideal. It also has space for her toys, many of which have been in storage since Katie quit their LA mansion.”

Cruise is known for lavishing Suri with gifts, including treating her to a helicopter ride earlier this year.