Television journalist Sean McPhilemy has secured a costs order expected to leave the Sunday Times with a legal bill of £2 million, following his libel victory over the newspaper's coverage of his "Ulster death squads" documentary.
The Court of Appeal in London ordered that part of the costs which the Sunday Times must pay Mr McPhilemy, to cover his legal expenses plus his entire costs of successfully fighting off the newspaper's appeal, must be calculated under the "indemnity" principle. This means virtually all fees and charges will be allowed.
The ruling means the newspaper must pay Mr McPhilemy up to £870,000 costs, in addition to the £145,000 damages he won last year. The newspaper's own costs are also thought to be around £1 million.