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Constance Briscoe wins Ugly libel case
01 December 2008
One of Britain’s most high-profile black women barristers has won her case after facing a writ for libel damages from her mother over allegations that she was abused as a child.
Constance Briscoe, who 10 years ago was one of the first black women to be made a part-time judge, was sued by her mother Carmen over the claims made in Briscoe’s autobiography 'Ugly'.
It was published earlier this year to critical acclaim and became a bestseller. However, it provoked an outburst of fury from Carmen Briscoe, who objected to her portrayal as a vile, abusive parent, which she says is untrue.
Briscoe claimed that her mother beat and neglected her, forcing her to work from the age of 14 to feed and support herself.
Sarah Webb, Ms Briscoe’s solicitor at Russell Jones & Walker, said:
"This is a good day for my clients who have had had to endure a long court battle to defend the accuracy of the information contained in the autobiography, ‘Ugly’. This book recounts a very emotional story of how Constance became a successful career woman in the face of adversity. The book was written as an inspiration to anybody who wants to overcome limitations that have been imposed on them from an early age. We are delighted at today’s judgment which has upheld the spirit in which the book was written.”
Ms Briscoe commented "It is sad that my mother still feels the need to pursue me. Now I just want to get on with my career. I can quite understand why my family went into collective denial, but whilst child abuse may be committed behind closed doors, it should never be swept under the carpet."