Campaigners want to turn Katie Hopkins’ house into a refugee centre after Jack Monroe case
Katie Hopkins (This Morning)
Controversial commentator Katie Hopkins has put her country home up for sale after losing a lawsuit to Jack Monroe.
Monroe won libel proceedings against Hopkins following untrue claims about the vandalism of a war memorial.
The food writer, who identifies as gender non-binary, was awarded £24,000 in damages and £107,000 in court costs to cover their legal fees.
As well as losing the court case, Hopkins was also fired from her column with The Sun, fired from her column with Mail Online and fired from her show with LBC.
Katie Hopkins (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)
Now campaigners have launched a Go Fund Me campaign to turn Hopkins’ £950,000 home on the outskirts of Exeter, Devon, into a refugee centre.
Scott Walker, who set up the campaign, wrote on the Go Fund Me page: “Katie Hopkins has been forced to put her £1m mansion up for sale after losing a highly expensive libel case.
“We all know Hopkins’s disgusting views on immigrants and refugees, so the plan my good people, is to buy Katie Hopkins family home and use it to either house refugees or asylum seekers.
Katie Hopkins (Getty)
“This would be a great victory for the people of this country, because as we all know, this vile bigot has had far too much air time and drastically needs taking down a peg or two.”
Since launching the crowdfunding campaign, Hopkins’ home has been listed as sold.
Mr Walker now intends to donate the £8,500 raised so far to a charity that helps refugees.
Katie Hopkins (Getty)
The campaigner says he is in talks with national charities and some local to Devon who help refugees and asylum seekers.
Photos of the property posted to website RightMove reveal a spacious family home, including an open plan kitchen, dining and living area.
The home is furnished with green sofas and garish pink carpets, which some suggested would put off potential buyers.
RightMove
RightMove
RightMove
RightMove
The pricey lawsuit could have been avoided had Hopkins apologised for her untrue original claims.
Following the news Monroe pointed out: “For the want of apology a trial was lost. For the want of a trial a job was lost. For the want of a job another was lost. For the want of another an income was lost. For the want of an income a house was lost. And all for the want of an apology.”
Hopkins took the case to Court of Appeal in a desperate final bid to avoid owing the money.
The court rejected her case – meaning the former Apprentice candidate must cough up the full costs and damages of the case.
Katie Hopkins (Getty)
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Lady Justice Sharp wrote in her verdict: “In my opinion, none of the grounds raised has a real prospect of success, and there is no other compelling reason why an appeal should be heard.”
She added: “The application for permission to appeal is therefore refused.”
Hopkins now has no further right of appeal.
Jack Monroe (Chris Jepson)
The court ruling found that the tweets had caused “real and substantial distress” to Monroe and that the food writer is entitled to “fair and reasonable compensation”.
Following the original result, Monroe tweeted: “It”s taken 21 months but today the High Court ruled that Hopkins statements to/about me were defamatory.
“I sued her for libel. and I won.”
