Restaurant boss's Lords bid fails

The Irish News ran a critical review of the restaurant

A Belfast restaurant owner whose £25,000 libel award for a critical review was quashed has failed in a bid to take his case to the House of Lords.

Last year, Ciaran Convery of Goodfellas successfully sued the Irish News for a review that questioned the quality of the food and service at his restaurant.

The court of appeal overturned the decision in March.

On Monday, three High Court judges refused Mr Convery's application to take his case to the Lords.

Mr Convery still has the right to petition the Lords directly.

The paper appealed the original libel decision on the grounds of fair comment and the right to freedom of expression.

The appeal court judges ruled the jury in the original trial had been misdirected on whether the opinions were defensible as fair comment.

They ordered a retrial of the 2007 case.