DONALD Trump’s lawsuit over a former British spy’s claims he took part in “perverted sexual acts” in Russia has been thrown out.
The former US president, 77, sued Orbis Business Intelligence, a consultancy founded by former MI6 officer Christopher Steele, over “scandalous” claims he said harmed his reputation.
GettyDonald Trump pictured in Washington DC on January 31[/caption]
PAFormer MI6 officer Christopher Steele pictured in October[/caption]
Mr Steele was the author of a dossier that contained rumours and allegations including that Trump gave bribes to Russian officials.
It was published by the BuzzFeed website in 2017.
At a hearing in London last year, the court was told Trump was bringing his case claims in the dossier he had taken part in “sex parties” while in St Petersburg.
The report also claimed Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, engaged in “golden showers” with prostitutes in Moscow.
Mr Steele, who once ran the Russia desk for Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6, was paid by Democrats to compile research that included salacious allegations that Russians could potentially use to blackmail Trump.
The Republican said the dossier was “fake news” and a “political witch hunt”.
His lawyers added that the report was “egregiously inaccurate” and contained “numerous false, phoney or made-up allegations” and that he wanted compensation for distress.
Orbis, however, argued that Trump brought the claim simply to address his “longstanding grievances” against the company and Steele.
Asking for the case to the dismissed, lawyers for Orbis told the court the case was “brought for the purpose of harassing Orbis and Mr Steele and pursuing longstanding grievances”.
A High Court judge in London has now agreed to dismiss the data protection lawsuit.
Judge Karen Steyn ruled that Trump’s case could not continue, saying in a written ruling that “there are no compelling reasons to allow the claim to proceed to trial”.
She noted that Trump said the allegations are untrue, however, adding: “I have not considered, or made any determination, as to the accuracy or inaccuracy of the (allegations).”
The London lawsuit is just one of many legal cases involving Trump, who faces four separate criminal prosecutions in the United States.
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