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Wednesday, May 22, 2002

Historian fails to avert bankruptcy

By Andrew Hibberd

DAVID Irving, the controversial historian, failed to stave off a bankruptcy order yesterday and faces losing his £750,000 London home.

He was made bankrupt on March 4 this year on the application of Penguin Books, which is owed an estimated £2 million in legal fees by the author. He unsuccessfully launched a libel case against the publisher of a book that he said had branded him a "Holocaust denier".

Mr Justice Peter Smith, who heard yesterday's appeal, said the action arose from Mr Irving's failure to pay an interim costs order of £150,000 made by the libel trial judge in May 2000.

Mr Irving, 64, has lived in Duke Street. Mayfair, for 30 years. His building society is seeking repossession.

The author had offered to pay Penguin Books £2,000 a month towards the interim payment but this would have taken six years to pay off, not including interest charges, said the judge.

The historian's lawyers said after the hearing that they were considering taking the case to the Court of Appeal. 

  Radical's Diary

  NJ lawyer Gary Redish gloats that Mr Irving's next home will be a cardboard box in The Strand

  The Guardian: Failed libel action costs Irving his home

Historian fails to avert bankruptcy