In the courts: `Minority could be misled' by diaries

In the courts: `Minority could be

misled' by diaries

Only a small minority of readers of the London Evening Standard could be misled into believing that a parody of Alan Clark's Diaries, published by the newspaper, was written by the Conservative MP himself, the High Court in London was told yesterday.

In a closing speech, Peter Prescott, QC, counsel for the Standard, said the case was an important one because of its implications for freedom of expression.

Evidence in the case, in which Mr Clark is seeking an injunction to prevent the newspaper from running the parody in its current form, is expected to conclude today.

- Kathy Marks