Ryan Giggs, Manchester United Midfielder, Has Claim Against The Sun Thrown Out By The High Court

Murdoch 1-0 Giggs

A damages claim by Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs against The Sun newspaper has been thrown out by the High Court.

The compensation case was over the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper's coverage of the Welshman's alleged affair with glamour model and ex-Big Brother contestant Imogen Thomas.

The Sun had argued in court that the claim was "dead in the water" and should be stopped.

Giggs however said The Sun "misused" private information and argued that he is entitled to claim damages for distress and breach of a right to privacy enshrined in human rights legislation.

But Mr Justice Tugendhat, who had previously heard the argument regarding the issue on February 21, gave his ruling today denying Giggs' right to compensation.

The decision marks a rare victory for the newspaper and it's beleaguered owner who have been at the centre of the phone hacking scandal for more than eight months.

Despite launching the Sun on Sunday last weekend, fresh revelations about the Wapping-based operation have dogged the News International, including the arrest on Thursday of the The Sun's defence editor.

This week, reports emerged at the Leveson Inquiry that News International employees had refused to co-operate with police officers investigating phone hacking, while former Met Police Chief John Yates denied being 'plied with champagne' by one of the newspaper's reporters.

Revelations that the Met Police loaned a retired police horse to Rebekah Brooks have prompted a spat of nag gags to erupt on Twitter, with many users of the social media site dubbing the debacle 'horsegate'.

A Downing Street spokesperson said last night that David Cameron had 'probably' ridden Brooks' ex-Scotland Yard horse, Raisa.

Giggs was granted an injunction in April 2011 after an article in The Sun charted an unnamed footballer's alleged affair with the model Imogen Thomas. He took out the order on the basis that Thomas appeared to have been trying to blackmail him.

Despite the order, the ex-Wales international was widely identified on Twitter before Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming revealed his identity under parliamentary privilege in the House of Commons in May last year.

Ms Thomas took legal action against Giggs and, in December 2011, he acknowledged that she had not been blackmailing him.

Giggs made his United debut 21 years ago today as a 17-year-old substitute against Everton at Old Trafford.

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