A “well-known individual” is trying to secure a permanent injunction against the Guardian and ITN to prevent them from publishing details of serious allegations made against him.
At a high court hearing on Friday, the claimant’s legal team said there was a serious risk that he could harm himself should the allegations be made public.
They have told the court publishing the claims would breach articles two and three of the European convention on human rights (ECHR), the former of which relates to the right to life.
A trial is due to take place later this month to examine whether an injunction preventing reporting of the allegations should be made.
An earlier ruling by the judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, said the case included two media organisations that had “conducted a journalistic investigation into allegations concerning the claimant’s conduct towards a number of individuals”.
“The proposed publications concern serious allegations about the claimant’s conduct over a period of years,” it stated.
“The matters alleged are said to have arisen in a variety of professional and personal contexts.”
The judge explained that the claimant had given a broad denial of the allegations which the defendants propose to publish.
In a submission to the court, the claimant’s legal team, led by Sara Mansoori KC, said he was “a well-known individual who suffers from very serious mental health problems”.
The submission stated he had attempted to take his own life on two occasions and remained seriously ill.
ITN and the Guardian are opposing the injunction sought. In their own written submission to the court, their legal team set out their position on the questions that fall to be decided at trial.
In a skeleton argument, they said the relevant duties under the ECHR were not triggered and should not prevent publication, and in any event, mitigations could be put in place to protect the claimant.
Nicklin said on Friday that it was important to have the proceedings as open as possible, adding: “This case is going to be controversial either way it is decided.”
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In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
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