'Bad parents' story was untrue, newspaper says

Source: Agencies  |   2008-7-4  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

BRITISH celebrity couple Katie Price and her pop singer husband Peter Andre have won a public apology and damages over a newspaper story which claimed they were bad parents.

The couple had sued the News of the World over an article which their solicitor Mike Brookes said portrayed them as "shocking and uncaring parents who put their own needs above those of their children."

Andre and Price, former topless model Jordan, said the story, published in February, had caused them "hurt and damage."

The article was trailed on the front page with the headline "Jordan Exposed: Nanny reveals sex, rows, binges ... And what she's really like as a mum," while story inside was headed: "Perfect Mum? What a joke!"

Brookes told London's High Court that the story included an accusation about an incident in which Price's disabled eight-year-old son by a previous relationship had scalded himself.

It had suggested Andre was to blame. However, the article omitted to mention that the couple were completely exonerated from blame.

He said it had also alleged that the couple, who have two other children, Junior, three, and Princess Tiaamii, 11 months, neglected Harvey's health by deliberately feeding him junk food.

"Again this accusation was not true," he said.

News of the World lawyer Joanna Workman said the paper apologized, accepted the allegations were untrue and regretted that they were published. They agreed to pay "substantial" damages, half of which would be put in trust for the couple's children and half donated to two charities.

"Pete and I love our kids and would do anything for them. Anyone who has kids can imagine how it would feel to be accused publicly of being bad parents," Price said.