Judge ups libel award to 1p

A High Court jury's award of "zero" damages to former Irish premier Albert Reynolds against the Sunday Times was upped to 1p.

The increase came after Mr Justice French ruled that Mr Reynolds was entitled to nominal damages, given the jury's verdict. The jurors decided, by a majority of 10-1, that the allegation complained of by Mr Reynolds was not "in substance true" - but then went on to make the "zero" award. The judge's ruling may have a bearing on who should pay costs, unofficially estimated at more than pounds 1m.

Mr Reynolds sued over a November 1994 story, headed "Goodbye gombeen man. Why a fib too far proved fatal". The newspaper denied libel, pleading qualified privilege and justification