C4 takes libel action against police
Kevin Sutcliffe, C4's deputy head of news and current affairs and editor of Dispatches, and David Henshaw, executive producer of the doc for Hardcash, are leading the challenge against the West Midlands Police and the Crown Prosecution Service.
The documentary, broadcast in January last year, went undercover to reveal extreme and anti-democratic views being preached in mainstream British Mosques and Islamic organisations.
In March, West Midlands Police raised concerns that the documentary was edited in such a way that it legitimised Muslim extremists.
They asked for a production order for unseen footage and took their case to the Crown Prosecution Service.
WMP selected five broadcast sequences that it complained misrepresented its subjects through intensive and selective editing to such an extent that it was "sufficient to undermine community cohesion".
The CPS ruled that the programme makers had not stirred up racial hatred but was concerned about the editing and took the complaint to Ofcom.
In November, Ofcom rejected the complaint against the doc.
In a statement, C4 said: "The statements made by both the West Midlands Police and the CPS were completely unfounded and seriously damaging to the reputation of the programme makers.
“We fully support this libel action as we feel that it is the only way to vindicate their reputations and to prove this was a responsible piece of public interest journalism.
“These unfounded allegations brought into question Channel 4's standards of investigative journalism and a vindication for the programme team will be a vindication for Dispatches."
A statement on behalf of all claimants added: "The statements made by both the West Midlands Police and the CPS were completely unfounded and seriously damaging to our reputation. We feel the only way to set the record straight once and for all is to pursue this matter through a libel action."
C4 said that any payment of damages will go to charity.
Share
Have your say
You must sign in to make a comment.