(3) Article in Phoenix re Libel Case

(3) Article in Phoenix re Libel Case

Phoenix Magazine 8 November 2002

WORST LIBELS NORA WALL

"THE Sunday Worst recently published an unqualified and wholehearted apology to Nora Wall for a story they published three years ago, although the apology did not refer to any aspect of the original report that might have provoked a protest from Wall.. However there was nothing abstract about the settlement that the newspaper made with Wall and the Worst had to cough up E175,000 to the former nun.

"The newspaper baldly referred to the fact that their " groundless allegations reflected seriously on her character" and went on to "unreservedly withdraw" the allegations and "apologise sincerely" to Wall. The former Mercy sister's conviction for rape was quashed within days of receiving a life sentence in July, 1999, following a travesty of a trial involving some highly dubious evidence and accusations of bad faith levelled by the defence against the prosecution. The ex-nun was incredibly, convicted of participation in a "gang rape" following evidence that she held down a child while a male friend of hers raped the minor.

"In that context, comment about Wall and the evidence against her may have been legally defensible if published before the quashing of the conviction. However, the Worst published a lurid story about Wall that bore no relation to the evidence against her in the rape trial. Even this would have been legally defensible were it not for the quashing of Wall's conviction which came after the Worst's article on her."