The key allegations against Noel Clarke – and the judge’s response

Published

3 hours ago

August 23, 2025

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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.

‘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.”

‘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.

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”.

UK

Asylum hotel protests expected to swell this weekend – as Farage unveils ‘mass deportation’ plan

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3 hours ago

August 23, 2025

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Asylum hotel protests expected to swell this weekend - as Farage unveils 'mass deportation' plan

A weekend of protests and counter-protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers began last night, with dozens expected today. It comes as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has vowed “mass deportations” of illegal immigrants if his party wins the next general election.

Saturday is set to see more demonstrations across major towns and cities in England, organised under the Abolish Asylum System slogan, with at least 33 planned over the bank holiday weekend.

The protests are expected in Bristol, Exeter, Tamworth, Cannock, Nuneaton, Liverpool, Wakefield, Newcastle, Horley, Canary Wharf, Aberdeen and Perth in Scotland, and Mold in Wales.

Counter-protests – organised by Stand Up To Racism – are also set to be held in Bristol, Cannock, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Wakefield, Horley and Long Eaton in Derbyshire.

It comes after Friday night saw the first demonstrations of the weekend, including one outside the TLK hotel in Orpington, south London.

Dozens of protesters could be heard shouting “get them out” and “save our children” next to the site, while counter protesters marched to the hotel carrying banners and placards which read: “Refugees welcome, stop the far right.”

The Metropolitan Police said a large cordon was formed between the two groups and the hotel, and later confirmed that no arrests were made.

Abolish Asylum System protests were also held in Altrincham, Bournemouth, Cheshunt, Chichester, Dudley, Leeds, Canary Wharf, Portsmouth, Rhoose, Rugby, Southampton and Wolverhampton.

Tensions around the use of the hotels for asylum seekers are at a high after statistics showed there were more than 32,000 asylum seekers currently staying in hotels, marking a rise of 8% during Labour’s first year in office.

Regular protests had been held outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, which started after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl on 10 July.

In the wake of those protests, Epping Forest District Council sought and won an interim High Court injunction to stop migrants from being accommodated there – a decision which the government is seeking permission to appeal.

Farage vows ‘mass deportations’ if elected

Meanwhile, Nigel Farage has told The Times there would be “mass deportations” of illegal immigrants if Reform UK wins the next general election, vowing to remove the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights and other international agreements to facilitate five deportation flights a day.

When asked by the newspaper whether that would include Afghan nationals at risk of torture or death, he said: “I’m really sorry, but we can’t be responsible for everything that happens in the whole of the world.

“Who is our priority? Is it the safety and security of this country and its people? Or are we worrying about everybody else and foreign courts?”

Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum Angela Eagle said in response that the Reform UK leader is “simply plucking numbers out of the air, another pie in the sky policy from a party that will say anything for a headline”.

She added: “This Labour government has substantially increased returns with 35,000 people removed from the country in the last year alone, a huge increase on the last government.

“We are getting a grip of the broken asylum system. Making sure those with no right to be here are removed or deported.”

Labour has pledged to end the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the end of this parliament in 2029.

Conservative MP and shadow home secretary Chris Philp also accused Reform UK of recycling Tory ideas on immigration.

“Nigel Farage previously claimed mass deportations were impossible, and now he says it’s his policy,” he added. “Who knows what he’ll say next.”

Home Office stops Norfolk hotel

It comes after South Norfolk Council said it had been told that the Home Office intends to stop housing asylum seekers at the Park Hotel in the town of Diss – which has also seen demonstrations over the last month.

Protests broke out there after officials said they would send single men to the hotel rather than women and children. The hotel’s operator had warned it would close if the change was implemented.

A Home Office spokesperson said on Friday that “we are not planning to use this site beyond the end of the current contract”.

In response, Conservative council leader Daniel Elmer said: “The Home Office thought it could just impose this change and that we would accept it.

“But there is a right way of doing things and a wrong way, and the decision by the Home Office was just plain wrong.”

He added that while “I welcome the decision, in reality it does mean that the women and children who we fought so hard to protect will now be moved elsewhere, and that is a shame”.

UK

Labour may have walked into political trap over housing asylum seekers in hotels

Published

3 hours ago

August 23, 2025

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Labour may have walked into political trap over housing asylum seekers in hotels

Has the government just walked into a giant political elephant trap by attempting to reverse the Epping hotel ruling?

Already on the back foot after a judge ordered the Bell Hotel to be emptied of asylum seekers, the Home Office is now being attacked for trying to appeal that decision.

“The government isn’t listening to the public or to the courts,” said Tory shadow home secretary Chris Philp.

The politics is certainly difficult.

Government sources are alive to that fact, even accusing the Tory-led Epping Council of “playing politics” by launching the legal challenge in the first place.

The fact Labour councils are now also considering claims undermines that somewhat.

After all, the party did promise to shut every asylum hotel by the next election.

Figures out this week showed an increase in the number of migrants in hotels since the Tories left office.

And now, an attempt to keep people in a hotel that’s become a flashpoint for anger.

That’s why ministers are trying to emphasise that closing the Bell Hotel is a matter of when, not if.

“We’ve made a commitment that we will close all of the asylum hotels by the end of this parliament, but we need to do that in a managed and ordered way”, said the security minister Dan Jarvis.

The immediate problem for the Home Office is the same one that caused hotels to be used in the first place.

There are vanishingly few accommodation options.

Labour has moved away from using old military sites.

That’s despite one RAF base in Essex – which Sir Keir Starmer had promised to close – seeing an increase in the number of migrants being housed.

Back in June, the immigration minister told MPs that medium-sized sites like disused tower blocks, old teacher training colleges or redundant student accommodation could all be used.

Until 2023, regular residential accommodation was relied on.

But getting hold of more flats and houses could be practically and politically difficult, given shortages of homes and long council waiting lists.

All of this is why previous legal challenges made by councils have ultimately failed.

The government has a legal duty to house asylum seekers at risk of destitution, so judges have tended to decide that blocking off the hotel option runs the risk of causing ministers to act unlawfully.

So to return to the previous question.

Yes, the government may well have walked into a political trap here.

But it probably had no choice.

UK

US Justice Department releases Ghislaine Maxwell interview transcript

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3 hours ago

August 23, 2025

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US Justice Department releases Ghislaine Maxwell interview transcript

The US Justice Department has released a transcript of an interview with Ghislaine Maxwell – the jailed ex-girlfriend of paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Maxwell, who is reported to be keen on a presidential pardon, said in the interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche last month that she never saw US President Donald Trump in an “inappropriate setting”.

According to the transcript, Maxwell said: “I never witnessed the president in any inappropriate setting in any way. The president was never inappropriate with anybody.”

Maxwell also recalled knowing about Mr Trump and possibly meeting him for the first time in 1990, when her newspaper magnate father, Robert Maxwell, was the owner of the New York Daily News.

“I may have met Donald Trump at that time, because my father was friendly with him and liked him very much,” Maxwell said, according to the transcript.

Maxwell said her father was fond of Mr Trump’s then-wife, Ivana, “because she was also from Czechoslovakia, where my dad was from”.

She was sentenced in the US in June 2022 to 20 years in prison following her conviction on five counts of sex trafficking for luring young girls to massage rooms for Epstein to abuse. She has asked the US Supreme Court to overturn her conviction.

Epstein, 66, was found dead in his cell at a Manhattan federal jail in August 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.

Trump ‘was always very cordial’

His case has generated endless attention and conspiracy theories due to his and Maxwell’s links to famous people like royals, presidents and billionaires, including Mr Trump. No one other than Epstein and Maxwell has been charged with crimes.

Mr Trump knew Epstein socially in the 1990s and early 2000s. During Maxwell’s trial in 2021, Epstein’s longtime pilot, Lawrence Visoski, said Mr Trump flew on Epstein’s private plane several times. Mr Trump has denied flying on the plane.

Maxwell, 63, said in her interview with the Justice Department that she never saw Mr Trump receive a massage.

She told Mr Blanche that Mr Trump “was always very cordial and very kind to me”, adding: “And I just want to say that I admire his extraordinary achievement in becoming the president now.”

Maxwell denies introducing Epstein to Prince Andrew

Maxwell also denied in the interview that she had ever introduced Prince Andrew to Epstein, and that the Duke of York could not have had sex at her house with Virginia Giuffre.

Ms Giuffre, who died in April, sued the Duke of York for sexual abuse in August 2021, saying Andrew had sex with her when she was 17 and had been trafficked by Epstein.

The duke has repeatedly denied the claims, and he has not been charged with any criminal offences.

In March 2022, it was announced Ms Giuffre and Andrew had reached an out-of-court settlement – believed to include a “substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights”.

Maxwell told the Justice Department: “I did not introduce [Epstein] to Prince Andrew or to Sarah Ferguson. That is a flat untruth. I’ll start with that.”

She insisted Epstein and the duke met separately, and said “I think Sarah [Ferguson] is the one that pushed that”, before saying that allegations Andrew had sex with Ms Giuffre were untrue, as she was at her mother’s 80th birthday celebrations in the countryside outside the city.

She then claimed Ms Giuffre’s allegation that she and Andrew had sexual contact in the bathroom of Maxwell’s London flat was not true, as the room was not big enough.

She also claimed that an image of her standing alongside Andrew with his arm around Ms Giuffre’s waist was “literally a fake photo”.

The release of the transcript comes after Mr Trump has faced criticism from Republican supporters and Democrats over his Justice Department’s decision not to release further details relating to Epstein, after the now US president promised to do so during the election.

The Justice Department previously said a review of the Epstein case had found “no incriminating ‘client list'” and “no credible evidence” the jailed financier had blackmailed famous men.

In the transcript of the department’s interview with Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend said that she is not aware of any Epstein ‘client list’.

After her interview in July, Maxwell was moved to a minimum-security prison camp in Bryan, Texas, by the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) after she was held at a low-security prison in Tallahassee, Florida, that housed men and women.

The Texas camp houses solely female prisoners, the majority of whom are serving time for non-violent offences and white-collar crimes.

Neither Maxwell’s lawyer nor the BOP gave a reason for the move.

Maxwell’s legal team have maintained that she was wrongly prosecuted and denied a fair trial, and have floated the idea of a pardon from Mr Trump.

The president said earlier this month that “nobody” had asked him about pardoning Maxwell, but insisted that he has “the right to do it”.

Mr Trump said: “I’m allowed to do it, but nobody’s asked me to do it. I know nothing about it. I don’t know anything about the case, but I know I have the right to do it.

“I have the right to give pardons, I’ve given pardons to people before, but nobody’s even asked me to do it.”