A woman has sued a Sunday newspaper in the High Court, alleging she was defamed in an article published in 2003 which, she claims, falsely stated she had an affair with former Garda superintendent Kevin Lennon.
Josephine Patricia Jackson (nee Bradley) (52), a native of Buncrana with an address at Limavady Road, Waterside, Derry has sued Associated Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd, owners of Ireland on Sunday, and journalist Frank Connolly, arising out of an article published in the paper on March 9th 2003 under the headline - "Rogue Garda Lennon 'Stole' My Wife".
Opening the case yesterday, Hugh Mohan SC, for Ms Jackson, said the article published under Mr Connolly's byline said that Ms Jackson was involved in "a love triangle" with her estranged husband, ex-garda Ciarán Jackson, and Mr Lennon.
The jury was told Ms Jackson is claiming the article meant she had an affair with Mr Lennon in the early 1990s during her marriage, and that she sought his support to use his position to force Mr Jackson to surrender his property and other assets to her.
Mr Mohan said those claims were untrue and his client had never had an affair with Mr Lennon, whom she had met on just three occasions. Ms Jackson's reputation was "seriously and grievously impaired" because of the article and she should be awarded "significant damages".
The defendants deny the claims, and say that the article was justified and true in substance and in fact.
In their defence, they said that Ms Jackson's estranged husband, a former garda based in Co Donegal, had said, in other legal proceedings brought by him against the State in which he alleged he was bullied and harassed by Mr Lennon, that the affair took place.
In evidence, Ms Jackson told Mr Mohan that some days before the article appeared she was approached by a female reporter, claiming to be from the newspaper, outside her home in Derry. The reporter told her that there was information she had an affair with Mr Lennon and asked to speak with her.
Ms Jackson said she was shocked and told the reporter that what her husband had said was "not true".
She said she told the reporter: "If you knew what sort of a man my husband is, you would know who is telling the truth."
She said she was shocked when she saw the article in the paper, was barely able to leave her home, was unable to sleep and "lost over a stone in weight". On two occasions while out she said she was called a "home wrecker," and a "bitch".
Ms Jackson, who now lives with her partner in Derry city, said she had had two relationships after the split with her husband, but had never had an affair while she was with him.
Under cross-examination Ms Jackson said she was aware that Mr Lennon was in the news as a result of the Morris tribunal and was eventually sacked from the Garda.
She disagreed that the article was about the actions of Kevin Lennon and not about her.
The case before Mr Justice Peter Charleton continues.