The UK Court Rejects Trump's 'Sex and Bribes' Data Protection Case
In a significant legal decision, a high court judge in London has dismissed the data protection claim filed by former US President Donald Trump related to the infamous "Steele Dossier." The dossier, compiled by ex-British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, contained allegations of "perverted" sex acts and bribes to Russian officials.
The ruling, issued on Thursday, highlighted that the court did not assess the accuracy of the dossier but focused on the timeframe for Trump's claim. Judge Steyn ruled that Trump's claim for damages fell outside the six-year period of "limitations."
The court stated, "Trump has no reasonable grounds for bringing a claim for compensation or damages and no real prospect of successfully obtaining such a remedy." It further noted that the alternative remedy sought by Trump, a compliance order restricting the processing of the memoranda, would be "pointless and unnecessary" since the dossier was already freely available online and the defendant had committed to deleting its copies.
Trump, a frontrunner for the Republican candidate in the upcoming election, had indicated his willingness to provide evidence in the high court. The case alleged a breach of data protection rights by Orbis Business Intelligence concerning the 2016 "Steele Dossier."
The dossier, investigating Russian influence in the 2016 US presidential campaign, was published by BuzzFeed in 2017. Among its contentious claims were allegations that Trump engaged in unsavory activities in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Trump has consistently denied these allegations.
Trump's lawyer, Hugh Tomlinson KC, argued in court that his client acknowledged the legal responsibility to prove the allegations false and intended to discharge this burden by providing evidence.
Orbis successfully contended that Trump's claim had been filed beyond the permissible timeframe, leading to the court's dismissal of the case. This decision marks a crucial development in the ongoing legal battles related to the controversial dossier.
