TWO of the Guildford Four, Mr Patrick Armstrong and Mr Gerard Conlon, have settled their libel actions against the Sun newspaper, the High Court in Dublin was told yesterday.
The two men attended court. Also present were two of the Birmingham Six, Mr Paddy Hill and Mr John Walker.
Mr Garrett Cooney SC, for the two men, told Mr Justice Kinlen that he was happy to say both cases had been settled. Under the settlement terms, the defendant company, Newsgroup Newspapers Ltd, the proprietors of the Sun newspaper, had agreed to publish a statement and that this statement should be read in court.
The statement read: "On May 3rd, 1991, the Sun published an article concerning a holiday taken in Crete by Patrick Armstrong and Gerard Conlon of the Guildford Four. The article made certain allegations about the conduct of Mr Armstrong and Mr Conlon which caused them offence, which is regretted.
"An editorial in the same edition suggested that any sympathy for Mr Armstrong and Mr Conlon arising out of their wrongful imprisonment was misplaced. The Sun unreservedly withdraws any such suggestion and also regrets the same.
Mr Cooney said he would ask for an order to strike out each of the actions and for taxation of the plaintiff's costs in each case. Mr Richard Ferguson QC, who represented the newspaper, said he was consenting to the terms of settlement as given in court.
Mr Justice Kinlen said he would award all costs to the plaintiffs.