UKIP politician Caven Vines ordered to pay MPs £80,000 over claims in TV interview

THE former leader of UKIP on Rotherham Council has been ordered to pay two of Rotherham’s Labour MPs £80,000 in damages for “false allegations” made live on a national news channel.

Caven Vines, who lost his seat on the council in last month’s elections, made the comments in an interview with Sky News presenter Kay Burley in January last year, during the run up to the general election.

Mr Vines said that John Healey and Sir Kevin Barron “knew what was going on” in relation to the child sexual exploitation scandal in the town.

Judge Mr Justice Warby previously entered judgment in favour of the two MPs and today ordered Mr Vines to pay each of the damages awards of £40,000.

Lawyers for Sir Kevin and Mr Healey said the impact of the allegations was “extremely grave” and that they continued to suffer — as Mr Vines has never retracted them.

Sir Kevin and Mr Healey both asked Mr Justice Warby to award them £90,000 each but today he ruled Mr Vines should pay them £40,000.

In a previous hearing Mr Gavin Millar QC, for Sir Kevin and Mr Healey, told the court: “We know Mr Vines is not a wealthy man and this is not about getting money.

“The claimants have made clear their reasons for pursuing this case doggedly.

“He still wants to maintain the truth of the very, very grave allegation he made and the only way, in the teeth of an opinion like that, they can get vindication in the public arena is to pursue this.

“Mr Vines has never still said, even today, that there is no evidence whatsoever in his possession to support that allegation.”

Mr Vines told the court his statement during the live broadcast meant that the MPs — like “everyone else in Rotherham” — knew about the abuse following reports in the Times newspaper in 2012.

Following the hearing Sir Kevin and Mr Healey released a joint statement which said they were "very pleased" with the judgement.

It said:" After 18 months we’re relieved at last this fight to defend our reputation is over.

“Caven Vines’ lies have been allowed to run for too long but today the High Court has ruled comprehensively against him.

“Legal action should never have been needed but he has refused to apologise or admit his allegations against us on Sky News were totally untrue, so he left us with no other option than to force him to face up to the truth and to clear our name."