Model Davison begins libel case against Ryanair
Former Miss World Rosanna Davison is today suing Ryanair for allegedly libelling her on its website regarding comments she made about the airline's charity calendar.
A High Court jury has heard the 27-year-old model was deeply offended by a press release which she claims implied she is narrow-minded, jealous, racist and elitist.
Ryanair rejects the claim of libel.
Ms Davison sat at the back of the court watching as her barrister Jim O’Callaghan opened this three-day libel action against Ryanair.
He told the jury that on November 10, 2008, Ryanair published a charity calendar for the following year with pictures of some members of their female cabin crew in bikinis.
Monies raised went to the Simon Community charity.
That day, a journalist from the Irish Independent called Ms Davison and asked her what she thought of the fact that no Irish women were pictured.
Her response was that if she was organising it, she would have made sure Irish women were involved because it is an Irish charity, an Irish business, and “anyone would tell you – Irish women are gorgeous”.
The comment was published in the newspaper the following day and Ryanair reacted with a press release on its website saying that there is nothing more unattractive than jealousy.
It claimed that Ms Davison’s comments bordered on racism and demonstrated an elitist attitude towards Ryanair’s international cabin crew.
Her lawyers say RD was deeply offended, and that this was an unfair and unprovoked attack on the model.
They claim that Ryanair is calling her a racist, and that this has damaged her reputation.
The case continues.
