Hayden's statement:
PLEASE RT: Statement about Graham Linehan. Following discussions between the parties I can confirm that I have discontinued the High Court claim against Linehan.
On 22 March 2019 Linehan’s solicitors requested that I discontinued the legal action against him. A request was made to share the costs of the action on a 50/50 basis. This request was rejected by me.
Considering that Linehan had not repeated his conduct towards me I was happy to offer a ‘drop hands’ settlement on the basis that Linehan was responsible for 100% of his legal costs. It was made clear that Linehan’s conduct towards me was inappropriate on any analysis.
Graham Linehan incurred approximately £28,000 in legal costs. He has had to accept 100% responsibility for those costs. In other words Linehan’s tweets to me in late September 2018 cost him circa £28,000.
I am satisfied with the result of this litigation. Linehan has been given a very expensive lesson. That said Linehan’s conduct towards me since autumn last year has abated somewhat and I appreciate that.
I am conscious that I am involved in far more serious litigation arising out of the Mail on Sunday story featuring me on 10 February 2019 and the linked criminal investigation into Katherine Scottow. This must be my priority. The proceedings and investigation continue.
As such. I have drawn a line under my dispute with Linehan. I wish both Mr Linehan and his family well and hope that he can extend the same best wishes to the transgender community about which he tweets almost every single hour.
The matter is now closed. In conclusion I reiterate that Mr Linehan’s conduct towards me has cost him circa £28,000. Some very expensive tweets indeed. END