I put in more hours over three months than I would have normally done in two years

I put in more hours over three months than I would have normally done in two years. Sometimes it felt that I did not exist as a separate entity from the case. I became used to looking in the mirror after a normal 20-hour working shift and seeing the bags under my eyes grow darker. My partner failed to recognise me.What spurred me on was the belief that justice would prevail.

Sitting in court as a client, fighting for those who have no voice, was one of the most important things I have ever achieved. The aspersions cast during the hearing on our motives for bringing the case (money) were difficult to hear from those being paid thousands from the public purse, when we were doing it for nothing and for those with less than nothing.I am now certain that some people are more equal than others. We lost, despite the court’s serious criticisms of the severe weaknesses in the scheme, particularly as far as disabled and mentally ill clients are concerned But I won’t give up Justice will prevail I am sure of it.. ITN and two of its reporters today won a total of £375,000 High Court libel damages over a magazine’s criticism of their coverage of the Bosnian War.

ITN and two of its reporters today won a total of £375,000 High Court libel damages over a magazine’s criticism of their coverage of the Bosnian War.
They said that an article, editorial and press release, published by LM in 1997, alleged that they misrepresented a headline-grabbing image of emaciated Muslim Fikret Alic which came to symbolise the conflict.ITN, Penny Marshall and Ian Williams claimed that the publications, headed “The picture that fooled the world”, amounted to a highly damaging attack upon their reputations and professional integrity.Ms Marshall burst into tears and Mr Williams put a comforting arm around her shoulders as a jury in London returned their unanimous verdicts after four hours of deliberations.The two journalists, who were described by their counsel during the two week trial as “decent, honest and courageous”, were each awarded £150,000 – the maximum suggested by Mr Justice Morland – and ITN received £75,000.LM’s editor, Michael Hume, and publishers Informinc (LM) Ltd and Helene Guldberg, said that the criticism of the reporters was justified because they had deliberately selected shots of Alic “caged behind barbed wire” at Serb-run Trnopolje camp in August 1992.They also pleaded fair comment and said that no-one would have understood the allegations to refer to ITN.The article, written by German freelance Thomas Deichmann, asserted that there was no barbed wire around the camp – which he said was a collection centre for refugees and not a prison – but was in fact around the news team, who were filming from a small enclosure next to the camp.LM (formerly Living Marxism), which claimed it was a “shoe-string” operation constantly on the verge of going under financially, now faces a costs bill unofficially estimated at more than £300,000.In a joint statement Ms Marshall and Mr Williams said after the jury’s verdict: “We are pleased that the right verdict in this case has been reached and that the truth about what happened in the Bosnian detention camps has been exposed in open court.”It is a verdict we were confident would come at the end of a trial that should never have had to happen.”The reporters said: “There was never any doubt whatsoever that the allegations made against us were both untrue and unfounded. The reports in question were filmed and presented with the professionalism and integrity that would be expected of us.”LM was given every opportunity to retract the article and its allegations. Its decision not to do so resulted in our taking legal action in order to clear our names.”Today’s verdict and award clearly vindicates that course of action and, perhaps more importantly, gives dignity to all those who were detained in the camps.”We have taken no pleasure in bringing this action but it was essential to do so in order to prevent others from assuming the allegations to be true. Today’s verdict sets the record straight once and for all.”There is absolutely no doubt that freedom of speech is essential to society. But the freedom to print lies masquerading as the truth, as LM did, is not.”ITN’s editor-in-chief Richard Tait said after the jury’s verdict: “I believe this verdict makes it a good day for British television journalism.”It is important for many reasons: it clears the names and reputations of Penny and Ian and wholly vindicates our decision to take action against LM over the lies they told about them.”Penny and Ian’s reports of conditions at Trnopolje and Omarska were one of British television journalism’s finest achievements in the last ten years.”Outside court, Ms Marshall added: “Today’s decision is important for the people in that camp.