Richard Desmond’s Biography, Net Worth, Fact, Career, Awards and Life Story
Litigation began at the High Court on 6 July 2009 over claims in journalist Tom Bower’s joint biography of Conrad Black and Barbara Amiel, Conrad and Lady Black: Dancing on the Edge, that Desmond had made a “humiliating climbdown” over an Express story at the end of 2002 on the state of Lord Black’s finances, which it was alleged Desmond had ordered to be written.
This claim of a weakening of Desmond’s “super-tough” reputation as a businessman was viewed as defamation by Desmond. Bower denied libel on the grounds of the story being “substantially true”. The following day, the presiding judge The Hon. Mr Justice Eady, discharged the jury as “fundamental” evidence and legal submissions had emerged. The new jury later found in favour of Bower.
A biography of Desmond, Rough Trader, was written by Bower and printed in 2006, but still awaits publication.
