Ukip MEP ordered to pay Labour MPs £160,000 in libel damages

Jane Collins was sued for libel and slander by Sir Kevin Barron, John Healey, and Sarah Champion

Ukip MEP Jane Collins speaking at Ukip conference in 2014 (PA Archive/PA Images)

Three Labour MPs have each been awarded £54,000 in damages from a Ukip politician after comments she made about the Rotherham child abuse scandal.

Jane Collins, Ukip MEP for Yorkshire, had alleged that Labour MPs in Rotherham knew details of the town’s child abuse scandal but chose not to intervene because of political correctness, cowardice, or selfishness.

Ms Collins made the allegations in a speech at Ukip's conference in September 2014. That speech came a month after a report found about 1,400 children in the area had been abused between 1997 and 2013.

Sir Kevin Barron, MP for Rother Valley, John Healey, who represents Wentworth and Dearne, and Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham, had sued Ms Collins for libel and slander.

The MEP had claimed her speech was meant as a political claim rather than an expression of fact. Last year she attempted to gain immunity from prosecution under European Parliament rules but failed.

Mr Justice Warby said all three MPs found the experience “genuinely and significantly distressing”.

“They felt that their careers were at stake, and that their integrity was under serious attack,” he said.

Ms Collins made an offer of amends to the MPs but the amount of compensation could not be agreed. The award was decided at London’s High Court on Monday.

After the award of the damages the three Labour MPs said in a joint statement: “Today’s judgement at last brings to an end a process to clear our names which has gone on for over two years, delayed and dragged out time again by Jane Collins’ repeated attempts to evade justice.

“She has run out of places to hide and today the judge said in no uncertain terms that her behaviour since proceedings began has been unreasonable and offensive.

“The judge has also noted the impact on each claimant’s reputation was seriously harmful, and each suffered substantial distress as a result of the publication complained of, from the repetition of its gist or sting, and from the cascade of hostile social media response.”

Ms Collins has not issued any comment on the damages at this time.

Additional reporting by PA