Grant escapes ’baked beans’ charge - June 4 2007
Actor Hugh Grant will not be charged over an allegation that he lashed out at a paparazzi photographer with a tub of baked beans, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

The star will also not be prosecuted in connection with claims that he kicked the same photographer near his west London home in April.

Ian Whittaker said he was in the area trying to get pictures of Grant’s former partner Liz Hurley, who lives nearby, when the incident happened.

Grant, 46, was arrested over the assault allegation on April 24 and bailed to return to a police station in May.

But a CPS spokeswoman said that there was "insufficient evidence" to charge Grant over the allegation that he kicked Whittaker.

She added that it had also advised the police that it was "not in the public interest" to prosecute the star over the baked beans claim.

"We have advised the police that there is insufficient evidence to charge Hugh Grant with any offence in relation to an allegation that he kicked a photographer," she said.

"This is because there were clear discrepancies between the accounts of independent witnesses and those of the photographers involved.

"In relation to a second allegation involving a take away food container, the CPS decided that a prosecution would not be in the public interest."

She added that "the minimal nature of the alleged assault and the lack of pre-meditation on the part of Mr Grant" were among the reasons for the baked beans decision.

Hugh gets libel pay-out over Liz claims - April 27 2007
Hugh Grant today accepted undisclosed libel damages over false claims his relationship with Jemima Khan was destroyed by a flirtation with a film executive and his conduct over Liz Hurley’s wedding.

The 46-year-old wasn’t at London’s High Court for the settlement of his action over articles in the Mail on Sunday and the Daily Mail in February.

His solicitor, Simon Smith, said the damages would be donated to Marie Curie Cancer Care.

He said the first article alleged Hugh was conducting a flirtation with a female Warner Bros executive while he was with Jemima, and that Jemima’s suspicion caused her such distress she barely ate for weeks, and that it destroyed their relationship.

The second article said he’d be attending Liz Hurley’s wedding, acting as an usher, and had bought her an expensive wedding gift.

The third article alleged Hugh resented having to promote his films.

Mr Smith said at no stage was any of this put to Hugh prior to publication, and said "all of the above allegations and factual assertions are false".

Grant didn’t even know of any woman from Warner Bros matching this description, let alone conduct a flirtation, and it followed that Jemima didn’t "barely eat for weeks".

He didn’t attend Liz Hurley’s wedding and doesn’t resent having to promote movies.

Associated Newspapers apologised and agreed not to repeat the false allegations.