Paper faces web libel action

Lord Robertson could win up to £200,000 in damages

Nato Secretary General, Lord Robertson, has started a landmark legal action against the owners of the Sunday Herald newspaper.

He is suing them over allegations which appeared on the paper's internet message board, accusing him of helping Thomas Hamilton, the Dunblane killer, obtain his gun licence.

If successful, his libel action could lead to the largest ever personal damages payout in Scottish legal history.

A message accusing Lord Robertson, 57, of influencing the decision by Central Scotland Police to grant a gun licence to Hamilton was posted on the public forum section of the paper's website by a random contributor.

It further alleged Lord Robertson, who is due to stand down from his post at Nato at the end of this year, ensured his involvement was covered up by the authorities.

The message is believed to have remained on the paper's website for up to three weeks and was only removed after Lord Robertson - former MP for Hamilton South - contacted editors personally to complain.

Electronic records

Richard Walker, deputy editor of the Sunday Herald, confirmed the legal action, but said the message was removed from the site as soon as the paper was made aware of the content.

"Lord Robertson brought this post to the attention of Andrew Jaspan, the Sunday Herald's editor. The Sunday Herald then acted expeditiously to remove the information," he said.

"The electronic record of the forums reveals that visitors viewed this post less than 400 times.

"The actual number of visitors who read the post is likely to be less as this number includes those who visited the forum before the post was made."

Thomas Hamilton was responsible for the deaths of 16 primary school children and their teacher on March 13, 1993.

If successful, Lord Robertson's action could result in him receiving about £200,000 in personal damages.