Leading actor wins gagging order over sex claims

The latest in a series of injunctions taken out by celebrities and sports stars in a bid to prevent lurid headlines sees a world famous actor granted a gagging order to stop the public discovering he has cheated on his wife

A leading actor was granted a gagging order by a judge yesterday to prevent the public finding out about his infidelity after claims that he had cheated on his wife with prostitute Helen Wood.

Miss Wood claims she had sexual intercourse with the celebrity actor several months after she was involved in a £1,000 threesome with Wayne Rooney. The ruling once again raises the issue of how far the courts should go to protect an individual’s privacy.

The injunction, which protects the actor’s anonymity, was upheld by the High Court yesterday. But the judge lifted the ban on naming the 24 year-old escort from Bolton, Greater Manchester, who last year described how she and another prostitute, Jennifer Thompson, had taken part in a threesome with England and Manchester United striker, Rooney.

Dr Stephen Wood, a music lecturer from Bolton who has been estranged from his daughter since she was 16, says: ‘I feel desperately sorry about any problems that may have arisen as a result of what she’s done.’

‘What’s happened in our family was absolutely tragic, and I’m extremely sad if Helen’s actions have had wider implications on anyone else.’ Yesterday Dr Wood said he knew nothing about the latest court case.

Mr Justice King ruled yesterday that the ban on naming the actor should remain in place until further trial of the case or until further order is made. Neither the actor nor Miss Wood attended the hearing in London.

The actor, described by the judge only as ‘a world famous celebrity’, is one of more than 30 stars who have won similar legal protection in the past two years.

Last year, England football captain John Terry won an injunction preventing the media from revealing his extra-marital affair with the former partner of his England team mate, Wayne Bridge. It was later lifted after MPs and lawyers criticised it for being another example of the rich and famous being granted anonymity to prevent negative press.

How far should the law go to protect privacy? Should those who have committed infidelity be named and shamed? Let us know your thoughts by posting a comment below.

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