Police agree 'substantial damages' for undercover reporter

Undercover reporter Donal MacIntyre and his BBC team were this morning receiving an apology from a police force after they reached an out-of-court settlement in a legal battle.

Kent Police Force is understood to have agreed “substantial” damages and costs in what is thought to be the first time police have paid out in a libel case.

MacIntyre had sued after after an edition of the series MacIntyre Undercover was criticised by police as “misleading”.

The case revolved around a programme in which the reporter had investigated conditions at a care home in Gillingham in Kent.

He said the programme had showed it was a home “where some of society’s most vulnerable are assaulted by those looking after them, where restraint methods are used that can kill”.

The resulting controversy resulted in the home being closed and a police investigation into the conditions faced by its residents who had learning disabilities.

After several months the investigation ended and police were critical of the 1999 programme’s approach.

There were also suggestions that they would try to recover money spent on the investigation, which resulted in cautions for two workers for assault.

The flagship series was heavily trumpeted by the BBC and police comments about the editing of the film were a huge embarrassment.

MacIntyre’s decision to sue senior police figures, including the Chief Constable of Kent, for libel was the next twist in the story.

A statement announcing the settlement was expected to be read out in the High Court this morning.

The BBC and Kent Police would not comment on the case prior to the statement being read out.