The chairman of ESAT Digifone, Denis O'Brien, has been awarded £250,000 as well as costs by a High Court jury in his libel action against the Irish Mirror. It's one of the highest awards made by an Irish jury. Mr O'Brien claimed that he had been libelled in a number of articles, alleging he had paid a £30,000 bribe to the former Fiana Fail Minister, Ray Burke, to be granted a radio licence for the Dublin station, 98FM. Mr O'Brien said afterwards that he had been vindicated and that he should never have had to take the action.
The Irish Mirror has said that it intends to appeal the verdict and said that the level of damages was a cause for concern.
