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Complainant Name:
Granada Television on behalf of Ms Georgia Taylor

Clauses Noted: 3

Publication: Sunday Sport

Complaint:

Granada Television complained on behalf of Ms Georgia Taylor that an article in the Sunday Sport published on 18 June 2000 headlined "My night of horny sex with Coronation St star Toyah" breached Clause 3 (Privacy) of the Code of Practice.

The complaint was upheld.

The article was about an evening that Ms Taylor, an actress in Coronation Street, had spent with a student called Michael Moore and the article represented Mr Moore's account of the evening.

The complainants said that the article contained highly personal details which it was not in the public interest to report. Clause 3 entitles 'everyone' to respect for privacy and the article showed her none. Ms Taylor had never spoken publicly about any similar matters and the material contained in the article was out of proportion to that already in the public domain.

The newspaper said that Ms Taylor had previously used the media to increase her profile and had spoken about her private life and personal thoughts. It was unreasonable to expect that Mr Moore should not be allowed the right to discuss his private life.

The complainants said that the newspaper had not highlighted any specific examples of Ms Taylor discussing matters similar to the subject matter of the article.

Decision:
Upheld

Adjudication:

The Commission has previously underlined that in balancing the right of one individual to freedom of expression - and the right of another to privacy - it will bear in mind the extent to which one is in proportion to the other. In this case there did not appear to be any attempt to balance the two and the complainant did not seem to have been afforded any respect for her privacy. There was no public interest defence and nothing to suggest that Ms Taylor did not deserve her right to privacy on such personal matters. The Commission had no hesitation in upholding the complaint.

Report:
51



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