MPs’ defamation trial date confirmed

THE DEFAMATION case brought by Rotherham’s three MPs over claims they knew about widespread child sex abuse in the town before it was exposed in the press has been given a trial date.

Sarah Champion, Kevin Barron and John Healey sued Yorkshire MEP Jane Collins last year over a speech she gave at the 2014 UKIP party conference in which they claim she suggested they “knew many of the details of what was happening”.

Cllr Caven Vines, UKIP councillor for Rotherham, is also being sued over claims he repeated the allegations in a TV interview.

The trial will start on May 16 at the Royal Courts of Justice in London and has been listed up to three days.

Both Ms Collins, who stood as a Parliamentary candidate for Rotherham in 2015, and Cllr Vines, who unsuccessfully tried to have the case against him kicked out last week, deny defaming the three MPs.