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December 17, 2015

Katie Price privacy action against PR firm over alleged ‘bury the bitch’ media plot settled out of court

By William Turvill and Press Association

Katie Price has settled her privacy claim against ex-husband Peter Andre and former manager Claire Powell.

The full terms of the deal over the action for misuse of confidential information – ahead of a ten-day trial due to start next month – were not disclosed at the High Court.

But Mr Justice Dingemans gave permission for payments to be made out from a sum of £200,000 previously paid into court by the model and businesswoman (pictured, Shutterstock) as security for costs.

Andre and Powell will each receive a contribution towards their costs of £75,000 plus interest while Price's old friend and confidante, Jamelah Asmar, will get £50,000 plus interest.

Earlier this year, Price's similar action against Asmar was also settled on confidential terms with Price paying Asmar's costs.

Press Gazette first reported that the model and businesswoman was suing for misuse of confidential information in 2013.

Her claim form alleged that Can Associates, a PR firm that acted for her between 2004 and 2009, held personal information about her and was leaking it to the tabloid press.

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This allegation was made after Price obtained internal emails about her from the firm through a Subject Access Request (SAR). One email suggested a plan to "bury the bitch [Price]" using the media.

Price also claimed to have uncovered a draft contract said to have been sent to the media. 

Believed to have been signed by celebrity rivals, it said: “I shall make you privy to much confidential information… including without limitation matters relating to Katie Price… her friends and members of her family…

“As a result of our discussions you will gain access to a large amount of Confidential Information.”

This wording for “an agreement in the same terms” is said to have been received by the Sunday Mirror and the News of the World.

Another email disclosed in the latest claim form said: “Tomorrow we take up another level, every newspaper or magazine that is thinking about or running a story gets a letter stating that we are going to war against KP.

“So everyone cc’d in on this email, you are now going to war, those of you that are not up for a major battle, leave the building now because I am going to bury the bitch.”

Can Associates denied that these emails were sent internally.

"We consider that the claim is without merit and it is being defended vigorously," a spokeswoman said at the time. "The emails to which Ms Price refers were not sent by our company but by a third party, who no longer has any association with us."

In 2010, Price paid damages to Powell after she alleged an affair between her former manager and Andre.

The full details of the settlement yesterday were not disclosed to the High Court. The judge said that all the parties were to be commended for their "good sense" in resolving matters.

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