[Red Moon]

EastEnders Janus paid substantial damages over 'sex orgy' claim

Actress Samantha Janus today accepted "substantial" undisclosed damages over a claim that she took part in a drug-fuelled lesbian sex orgy.

Janus, 35, who plays Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders, was "deeply hurt and embarrassed" by the story in the Sunday Sport in July.

"She was not prepared to allow it to remain unchallenged and therefore brought this claim for libel and misuse of private information," her solicitor-advocate, David Price, told Mr Justice Eady at London's High Court.

The article alleged that Ms Janus engaged in a three-hour drug-fuelled lesbian sex orgy in which she had invited Doug Harwood, her boyfriend at the time, to participate with her and a female friend.

It also claimed that she had been so desperate for sex that she indulged in reckless unprotected sex with male model Sean Moore in his car in a public street, notwithstanding that he was unwilling to do so without a condom.

Mr Price said that at no time did Ms Janus and Mr Harwood have sexual relations in the presence of others, let alone have the kind of orgy described, nor had she had any form of sexual relations with Mr Moore.

A claim that the revelations had caused considerable embarrassment to her employers at the BBC was also untrue.

Mr Price said that the article was illustrated with two topless photographs of Ms Janus taken by Mr Harwood on a private occasion which were not intended for publication, and was accompanied by an offer for the public to obtain downloads.

He said that Sport Newspapers Limited and Interactive World Plc, which provides digital media content through mobile telephones, had agreed to pay Ms Janus substantial damages and her legal costs.

Counsel Adam Wolanski offered their sincere apologies.

He said: "The defendants accept that these allegations are false and the photographs should never have been published."

Ms Janus was not at court for the brief hearing.

Source: Daily Mail