Morrissey today (April 3) accepted a public apology at London’s High Court from the publishers of British music monthly Word Magazine over a suggestion that he was a racist and hypocrite.
The former Smiths singer, whose full name is Steven Patrick Morrissey, had sued the Word over an article written by David Quantick and published in March, which he claimed had “echoed” the defamatory statements made in an earlier NME report. Morrissey is separately pursuing a claim against the NME weekly music newspaper.
The artist’s solicitor, John Reid, told judge Mr. Justice David Eady at London’s High Court today: “The closing paragraphs of Mr. Quantick’s article could have been construed to suggest that Mr. Morrissey was a racist, held racist opinions or that, as the child of migrant parents, he was a hypocrite.”
He added, “The article suggested that Mr. Morrissey has in the past paid lip service only to anti-racism.”
Caroline Kean, representing the Islington, North London-based defendants, Development Hell, said the publishers offered “their sincere apologies” to the claimant.
In a document issued today after the court case, Morrissey said he was “obviously delighted” with the victory and “the clearing of my name in public where it is loud and clear for all to hear.”
And in a word of warning to the NME, Reid said the artist was “utterly determined to repair the damage done to his reputation” by the publication of an artist last December, and remained “absolutely committed” to pursuing action against the NME and its editor, Conor McNicholas.
An IPC spokesperson says the company will not be commenting further until the ongoing legal action is resolved.
