Multiple witnesses gave evidence about their experiences of working with Noel Clarke during his libel trial – including women who had “nothing to gain and everything to lose”, say the Guardian journalists who carried out the investigation.
Before the newspaper published its report on allegations of inappropriate behaviour and sexual misconduct in 2021, Clarke was a huge success story in the UK film and TV industry – the acclaimed filmmaker behind Kidulthood, star of hit shows including Doctor Who and Bulletproof, and recipient of a BAFTA rising star award and another for his contribution to British cinema.
Clarke denied any allegations of inappropriate behaviour or sexual misconduct, and in 2022 he sued the publishers of the newspaper for libel.
Following a trial earlier this year, a High Court judge, Mrs Justice Steyn, has now dismissed his claim, finding the meaning of the newspaper’s report and other subsequent articles it published was “substantially true”.
The trial heard evidence from multiple witnesses, including some women whose real names were not used. Their accusations against the actor and filmmaker included claims of inappropriate comments, sharing nude photographs without consent, and groping.
Here are some of the key allegations – and the judge’s response.
Noel Clarke loses libel case
‘Maya’
An actress known as “Maya” worked on one production with Clarke and also auditioned for another, the judge said.
She alleged she had been subject to comments and looks from Clarke, and felt pressured to be naked during a scene for a TV programme.
Recording of a phone call between Clarke and the actress was heard in court, including conversation about this scene.
“It was an uncomfortable experience,” Maya said in the call. “We were rehearsing the romantic scene… I didn’t say anything to you. I felt pressured to be naked from you in that scene.”
Clarke said in court that he believed she was “acting” on the call ahead of making allegations against him.
In her ruling, Mrs Justice Steyn found Maya had been “sexually harassed, pressured and touched” by Clarke without her consent.
“It is apparent that he was insensitive to the discomfort he provoked,” the judge said. “But as is clear from his comments in the recorded phone call, and from the evidence generally, Mr Clarke would habitually, and lasciviously, look young, attractive women up and down.”
Floor runner
One woman who worked as a floor runner said her experience of working with Clarke was “extremely unpleasant” and that he was “rude and continuously belittling” towards her from the outset, according to court documents.
She said Clarke did not behave the same way towards another male runner and that she “dreaded being alone” with him as she would be “routinely undermined”. She said she became “extremely anxious” and had her first panic attack during filming when “Noel was ignoring my instructions and I couldn’t carry out my job”, which she described as humiliating.
The judge found she gave “clear, honest and reliable evidence”, and added: “She was a young woman, in a far subordinate role, who he singled out for this belittling and bullying treatment. It is probable that he acted in this way for no other reasons than that he had the power to do so, and he found it amusing.”
Clarke gave evidence during the libel trial. Pic: Tayfun Salci/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
‘Penelope’
One actress, known as “Penelope”, said she worked on a sex scene with Clarke and that they discussed “perhaps wearing patches or covers”, but Noel was “insistent that he didn’t think this would work and said he wanted to ‘keep it natural’.”
In her witness statement, Penelope said she begged him to stop asking her to look at him while he was exposed and to allow others back into the room.
She said she felt “disgusted, shocked and frightened”, and concerned that he had “created an impression to the crew that I was complicit in whatever was happening behind that closed door”.
In her ruling, the judge said she found Penelope to be an honest witness and found it was not necessary for her to be naked from the waist down for the scene.
She added: “I have not found that the requirement for ‘Penelope’ to be naked below the waist for the filming of the sex scene was introduced for Mr Clarke’s sexual gratification, but he did then take advantage of it for that purpose.”
‘Imogen’
Clarke invited an actress known as “Imogen” to dinner in 2014, when she was 20, the trial heard.
Imogen alleged he propositioned her for sex and offered to take photos, and also talked about going to brothels and tried to kiss her on the street after the meal.
He looked “furious” when she avoided his kiss, she claimed.
Her account was “honest”, and save for a few minor points, “it was also reliable and accurate”, the judge found.
‘Mila’
Another actress known as “Mila” described taking part in a scene that required nudity from the waist down.
During the shoot, he also told her to bend over, asked her to sit on his lap, and made inappropriate sexual comments, she said.
Again, the judge found she had “no reason to lie”.
While Clarke denied the allegations, the judge concluded The Guardian had, save for a couple of points, proved its case in respect of Mila.
Clarke won BAFTA’s rising star award in 2009. Pic: Ian West/PA
Gina Powell
Gina Powell was part of Clarke’s production company, Unstoppable, between 2014 and 2017.
She alleges he groped her in a lift, exposed himself to her in a car, and brushed off concerns about his sexual behaviour towards other women. He also kept naked pictures of others, she claimed.
Ms Powell told the court she had been through years of “guilt” watching how Clarke behaved with other women, which led to her speaking out.
The judge found that on one occasion where Clarke pinched Ms Powell’s bottom when they were being photographed, “his intent was not sexual”, and it was “intended as a friendly and jocular attempt to provoke a startled expression”.
However, she also ruled that Ms Powell was “an honest, reliable” witness and accepted the filmmaker had shown her nude photographs, as well as her evidence on what happened in the car and lift.
‘Ivy’
One woman, known only as “Ivy”, said in a witness statement that she had had a brief relationship with Clarke, while he was married, and alleged she later discovered he had shared nude photographs of her without her consent.
Ivy said she was “horrified” to discover later that the private images had been shown to others.
“Trusting him, I consensually sent him a small number of nude photos of myself,” she said. “I expressly told him that he should not show them to anyone… I believed that he would respect that.”
The court heard evidence from others who corroborated her account.
The judge, in her ruling, found The Guardian had established Clarke “revealed naked photographs” of Ivy without her consent and shared them with others.
Jing Lusi
Actress Jing Lusi, known for films including Crazy Rich Asians and series including Gangs Of London and Red Eye, worked with Clarke on the film SAS: Red Notice, which was filmed in Budapest in 2018.
She said that during a dinner, he suggested to her that they could do a read-through of the script in his “bed” or “bedroom”.
He also told her he had “fantasised” about her and described what he wanted to do to her, in a separate incident, she alleged. She said this left her feeling “disgusted”.
Clarke denied her allegations.
In her ruling, Mrs Justice Steyn said that while she accepted Ms Lusi’s account, she did find that in circumstances where Clarke’s behaviour towards her was not an abuse of power, “the events described did not assist the Guardian in establishing the truth defence”.
