Audio By Carbonatix
Ed Sheeran and two songwriting partners have been awarded more than £900,000 in legal costs, 11 weeks after winning a High Court copyright case.
Sheeran and Shape of You co-writers Steven McCutcheon and John McDaid had been accused of copying a song by grime artist Sami Chokri and Ross O’Donoghue.
Chokri and O’Donoghue had said the three Shape of You writers should foot their own legal bill.
But on Tuesday, a judge awarded the trio an interim payment of £916,200.
Sheeran and his fellow claimants denied plagiarism, with the pop star saying afterwards such "baseless" claims "are way too common".
Chokri and O'Donoghue, the defendants in the 11-day trial, had said the chart-topping singer was a "magpie" who "habitually copies" other artists and part of Shape of You was "strikingly similar" to a section of their 2015 song Oh Why.
In his latest ruling, Mr Justice Zacaroli said: "I consider it is appropriate that the claimants' success is reflected in an order that their costs are paid by the defendants, without reduction save for that which is made as part of the process of detailed assessment."
The judge rejected Chokri and O'Donoghue's suggestion Sheeran and his partners should pay their own legal costs because they had failed to provide documents and demonstrated "awkwardness and opacity".
A further hearing is expected to assess and finalise the sums.
Latest Stories
-
KN Foundation outreach: ‘This is not your permanent home’ – Okraku brings hope to Nsawam inmates
5 minutes -
Samson Deen sponsors Para Powerlifting team for African Championship qualification campaign
6 minutes -
Tolon NDC youth petition Asiedu Nketia over killing of party supporter ‘Alhaji’ Haruna Saibu
8 minutes -
Albert Teye wins Kia Ghana World Cup contest grand prize on Joy FM
15 minutes -
Transport Minister urges Metro Mass Transit to strengthen internal capacity for fleet expansion
23 minutes -
KN Foundation prison outreach: Amenfi Central MP moved by sight of ‘very young boys’ as football legends visit inmates
23 minutes -
Sweety Aborchie Writes: Women, Power, Politics, Issue 3: Silence is not consent
26 minutes -
Ghana Card accepted at over 44,000 airports worldwide as a mode of identification – NIA boss
31 minutes -
Ghanaian midfielder Linda Owusu Ansah set to join AFC Toronto
43 minutes -
Grassroots sports development critical to Ghana Sports Fund vision – Yaw Ampofo-Ankrah
47 minutes -
Dr Emma Oliveira appointed Ghana Country Chair for Healthcare, Wellness, Insurance & Risk wing of Global G100 platform
51 minutes -
Youth unemployment remains government’s biggest challenge — Asiedu Nketia
1 hour -
Cost of borrowing projected to increase despite policy rate hold – banks
1 hour -
Guardiola to leave Man City after 10 years as boss
1 hour -
Carrick confirmed as Man Utd permanent manager
1 hour