Singer-actress sues over 'sensational' Nicholas Tse article

Canto-pop singer and movie star Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi has launched a libel claim against a Chinese-language newspaper over a 'sensational' article involving the trial of singer Nicholas Tse Ting-fung.

The writ filed in the High Court claims Cheung was seriously defamed and suffered 'considerable distress and embarrassment' by the article which was published in Ming Pao on June 7.

'The defendant maliciously published the article which was grossly defamatory of the plaintiff. Both the article and the said words were calculated to disparage the plaintiff in her personal and professional capacity, and in her capacity as a witness in criminal proceedings,' the writ says.

'The plaintiff has been seriously injured in her character, integrity, reputation and image, and has been brought into public scandal, hatred and contempt.'

Cheung has been romantically linked to Tse, 22, who has denied a joint charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice with policeman Lau Chi-wai, 28, Tse's former driver from his record company Emperor Entertainment Group, Shing Kwok-ting, 34, and the star's assistant Chow Chu-fai to falsely claim Shing was driving Tse's Ferrari when it crashed into a railing in Cotton Tree Drive on March 23.

Magistrate Allan Wyeth is due to return a verdict next Wednesday in Western Court.

The writ says Ms Cheung also claims additional general damages for repetition of the defamatory sting of the article throughout the media, such as in Apple Daily and Sing Tao Daily News, which was the natural and foreseeable consequence of the publication of the article.