Supermodel 'manipulated her reputation'

The Mirror claims Ms Campbell suffered little distress

Supermodel Naomi Campbell has "schemed and manipulated her public reputation" and must face the consequences, the High Court has heard.

Contesting Ms Campbell's privacy action against The Mirror owners MGN Ltd, Desmond Browne QC said that there was no harm done when the newspaper said she attended Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

In his closing speech Mr Browne drew a parallel between attending NA and staying at The Priory clinic in Roehampton, south west London, which a witness had referred to as having "all the social stigma of skiing in Gstaad".

Ms Campbell, 31, is suing for breach of confidence and/or unlawful invasion of privacy after the tabloid published a photograph of her leaving an NA meeting in Chelsea's King's Road last year.

The newspaper said she had been receiving regular counselling in a "courageous bid to beat her addiction to drink and drugs" - although it has now admitted the model never had a drink problem.

'No stigma'

Mr Browne said Ms Campbell had no reason to complain because people thought NA was a responsible form of therapy to take and many stars had been willing to speak openly about it.

"There is no stigma attached to attending NA," Mr Browne said.

Piers Morgan angrily denied Ms Campbell's claims of racism

"The stigma only attaches to the fact of drug addiction."

He told Mr Justice Morland: "Miss Campbell has schemed, has manipulated her public reputation in the ways I submitted to you yesterday and now she must face the consequences, we say."

The QC said the court was not concerned with Ms Campbell's treatment, but the fact that she was attending NA.

Mr Browne said it was "glib" of Ms Campbell's side to argue that if the newspaper was right, Narcotics Anonymous would have to be re-christened "Narcotics Public".

Intimate

The Mirror also claims the Streatham born model has no right to the same level of privacy "as the normal man or woman in the street".

It suggested Ms Campbell should accept she will be treated differently because she has used the media to help advance her professional career and has talked about very intimate areas of her life.

Mr Browne said that the model's claim in confidentiality "does not get off the ground" and that there was "wilful and dishonest" exaggeration of the degree of her distress.

On the issue of any damages he added: "We say that there is no question of substantial distress.

"Even if she was caused distress by the exposure of her addiction it did not last for more than five minutes. She was not driven out of the country."

'Chocolate soldier'

On Thursday Mirror editor Piers Morgan attacked Ms Campbell for her "offensive and disgusting" claims the paper used racist language against her.

Mr Morgan said a reference to her in an article by journalist Sue Carroll as being like a "chocolate soldier" referred to Ms Campbell's being sacked from the charity, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), after wearing mink at a fashion show.

It claimed that the phrase meant someone who wilted in the heat and was ineffective.

The case continues.