Belfast Estate Agent Philip Johnston Wins Libel Case

Ballyhackamore based estate agent Philip Johnston, left court today claiming victory against the Sunday World. Mr. Johnston secured an apology from the Sunday World's publishers as part of the settlement reached at the High Court in Belfast and damages thought to be in the region of £10,000.

The case arose following the arrest of Mr Johnston in April 2005 as part of a police inquiry into the affairs of Jim Gray and the paper's subsequent report in September 2006, in which the paper claimed that an estate agent provided the keys for a safe house Gray used to hide a killer. The High Court heard that the article may have inferred that the estate agent had been involved in paramilitary and other criminal activity, a claim 'the defendants' now accepted to be totally without foundation.

Mr. Johnston appeared visibility relieved outside the court, after the case and indicated that he now plans to get on with his life now, stating 'I have been back in the estate agency business over a year now and can hold my head up high and keep the business afloat'.

Despite the money laundering charges being dropped in August 2006, despite winning this libel case and re-taking control of his business and despite Mr. Philip Johnston's claim that he intends to get on with his life, the Belfast estate agent also confirmed today that further legal proceedings against others were under way. 

Philip Johnston On Route To High Court	Belfast Agent Philip Johnston - Visibly Happier