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May 12, 2014updated 13 May 2014 3:33pm

Daily Mail pays damages and legal costs to Farage wife after saying she was previously his ‘mistress’

By Dominic Ponsford

The Daily Mail has agreed to pay damages and legal costs to the wife of UKIP leader Nigel Farage after wrongly reporting that he began his relationship with her whilst still with his first wife.

The Mail said in  page two apology today: “An article about Nigel Farage on 14 March said he and his wife Kirsten began an affair before the UKIP leader’s first marriage ended. We are happy to clarify that they met only after the divorce was finalised and apologise for any distress caused.

“We have agreed to pay damages and costs to Kirsten Farage.”

Mail columnist Andrew Pierce made the error in a news report on 14 March which said Kirsten Farage was once Farage’s “mistress…when the former City trader was married to his first wife Grainne, the mother of his two eldest sons.”

The piece went on to mistakenly say that the pair “embarked on a torrid affair while he was still married to Grainne, a nurse”.

Press Gazette understands Kirsten Farage lodged a High Court document listing Associated Newspapers as the defendant on 30 April.

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A dozen of the UK's leading legal minds will explain what the Defamation Act 2013 means for journalists and the media at a unique conference being organised by Press Gazette in London on 19 June. The cost of defending a libel action at trial can be more than £1m, tickets for Defamation 2014 start from £89+VAT. Follow the links to book direct at the event page, or emailthomas.collinge@progressivemediagroup.com to secure your place and arrange payment within 28 days by invoice.

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