Asian detective wins libel case

Det Sgt Virdi was awarded legal costs and a formal apology

A Sikh officer has won a libel claim against the Daily Mail over claims he was behind a race hate campaign.

The newspaper printed false allegations Gurpal Virdi had sent racist mail to black and Asian staff at Hanwell police station in west London.

Det Sgt Virdi won £150,000 in damages and an apology from the Metropolitan Police after he was exonerated in 2002.

Following mediation, the Daily Mail agreed to publish an apology for the 22 April 2006 article.

"I'm delighted it's now over," Mr Virdi told the BBC News Website. "It has been a stressful period for me and my family."

The newspaper declined to comment further on the matter.