Cole action set for High Court

12 November 2008 02:28pm

A privacy action by Cheryl Cole's husband over newspaper claims about his sex life is set for the High Court.

Footballer Ashley Cole is suing Mirror Group Newspapers and News Group Newspapers for compensation, including aggravated and exemplary damages, over articles in January and February concerning the alleged sexual relationships he had with three women.

Ashley's lawyers told senior High Court official Deputy Master Bard that they contained "private information which represents an unjustified intrusion" into the Chelsea defender's private life.

The estimated four week trial, involving up to 28 witnesses, will be heard by a judge in London, sitting without a jury, next autumn.

The newspapers' lawyers, who are contesting the action, said that both Ashley and X Factor judge Cheryl had put a "mass" of information about their personal life into the public domain already and, since publication, had continued to disseminate information about the claims.

Ashley's lawyers criticised the defence approach as misconceived.

"We say they calculated that it was worth invading the claimant's privacy because of the profit that would result."

Neither Cheryl or Ashley attended the preliminary case management conference.

© The Press Association