Cynthia Nkiruka Tooley v Times Media Limited

Facts

The claimant, Cynthia Tooley, is the estranged wife of Professor James Tooley, vice-chancellor of the University of Buckingham. On 4 February 2025 she was arrested by Thames Valley Police on suspicion of breaching a delivery-up provision in a non-molestation order made in family proceedings, which she said had been superseded by undertakings given in December 2024. She was released without charge. Two days later she made a video, addressed to close friends, describing the arrest. On 8 February 2025 The Times, published by the defendant, ran an article by Sean O'Neill headlined "Wife of anti-woke professor says she was 'bullied' by police", based on that video. The claimant, acting in person, issued proceedings on 1 December 2025. An Amended Claim Form sealed on 21 January 2026 pleaded misuse of private information, breach of confidence, defamation and malicious falsehood. On 23 March 2026 Steyn J refused an interim injunction and a Norwich Pharmacal order, and refused permission to rely on the privacy claim for interim relief. The defendant then applied on 13 April 2026 for summary judgment or strike-out of the entire claim. The claimant responded with a witness statement and three successive draft amended particulars, the last served six days before the hearing, without a formal application notice.