Noel Clarke ‘not a cult leader’ High Court hears
By Danny Halpin, PA Law Reporter
Noel Clarke is “not a cult leader”, the actor has told the High Court.
Clarke, 49, is suing Guardian News and Media (GNM) over seven articles and a podcast, including an article in April 2021 that said 20 women who knew him professionally had come forward with allegations of misconduct.
He denies the allegations, while GNM is defending its reporting as being both true and in the public interest.
Gina Powell, who worked for Clarke’s production company Unstoppable from 2014 to 2017, alleges that Clarke exposed himself to her in a car, and sexually assaulted her while they were on a business trip to LA, Gavin Millar KC, for GNM, said in written submissions.
At a hearing on Tuesday, Mr Millar said she was a junior in the working relationship and was trying to “be part of the family”.
“Did you know she considered leaving that relationship like leaving a cult?” he later asked Clarke.
Clarke replied: “Wow, I’m a cult leader now. This is getting more and more outlandish. I am not a cult leader.”
He continued: “She was more than happy to engage in these conversations.
“I am not trying to attack anyone. I am trying to defend my position. These people who are saying these things are also involved in these things.”
In a witness statement, Clarke said Ms Powell asked about going to a strip club on the LA trip and would send him links to pornographic material.
He also claims Ms Powell “groped” him “multiple times” during a different trip to Edinburgh.
When asked by Mr Millar how he defines groping, Clarke raised his hands in front of his chest, spread his fingers and said: “Squeezing my bottom, groping.
“If you are hugging someone and lean over and touch someone’s bottom, I’m assuming that is groping.”
He also denied telling Ms Powell she has a “Volkswagen vagina”, adding: “I don’t even know what that means.”
The trial in London will only deal with liability and not the assessment of any damages.
Philip Williams, for Clarke, previously told the court in written submissions that the actor “has clearly established the falsity of all of the allegations”.
The barrister continued that his client was “barely able to reply to the allegations” published by the Guardian and was “perceived as a criminal by all those who previously trusted and worked with him”.
Mr Millar said in his written submissions that the paper “did not simply accept what was said to it” and that “much time and resource was devoted to getting to the truth”.
He also said that there is “ample evidence” that all of the articles were true or substantially true.
The hearing before Mrs Justice Steyn is due to conclude in April, with a decision expected in writing at a later date.