The court ruled that the defamatory article caused Northcott severe professional and personal harm. In its judgment, delivered on October 8, 2024, the court emphasized the serious impact of the allegations, stating:

"I accept C’s evidence that D’s libel has had a very serious impact on him both professionally and personally and caused him serious harm and distress. The court awards C £95,000 damages, including aggravated damages. This is an appropriate sum to compensate C for the damage to his reputation caused by D and to vindicate his good name."

The judgment also ordered the removal of the offensive content from Hundeyin’s publication. Notably, the case was heard in Hundeyin's absence, as he was neither present nor represented in court.

Background of the Controversy

The allegations stemmed from the BBC's viral "Sex for Grades" documentary, with Kiki Mordi as its on-screen reporter. Hundeyin claimed that Northcott’s alleged misconduct compromised the documentary’s integrity. However, the court found these claims to be false and defamatory, awarding aggravated damages due to the extent of harm caused.