Polanski libel trial begins

Roman Polanski's groundbreaking libel trial against Vanity Fair opened this morning in London.

The film director is suing the Condé Nast owned-magazine for libel over an article suggesting he made advances towards a woman in a restaurant around the time of his former wife Sharon Tate's burial - allegations he denies.

Polanski's QC, John Kelsey-Fry, told the high court this morning that this was not an article about picking up a girl or about casual sex, "it is about him picking up a girl on the way to his wife's burial and disgracefully exploiting his just dead wife's name to do so... it impacts on the esteem in which he held his dead wife, his love for her, his pain at her loss and his attempt to protect her name.

"Common humanity dictates that he would find [the allegations] hurtful in the extreme."

Mr Kelsey-Fry added that Polanski's case is that the incident described in Vanity Fair never took place and that he has never used nor exploited Sharon Tate's name in such a way.

The controversial film director will set a precedent by not appearing in person in court 13 of the royal courts of justice in London because of the likelihood he would be arrested and extradited to the US, where he is wanted for having sex with a 13-year-old girl.

Mr Kelsey-Fry admitted in court this could be considered "a blot on his character".

Instead, in a landmark ruling by the House of Lords, Polanski has been given special permission to give evidence via a video link from Paris

He could give evidence later today.

The Vanity Fair article, published in July 2002, alleged that 35 years ago Polanski had propositioned a woman in New York restaurant Elaine's on a stopover between London and Los Angeles on the way back from the funeral of his wife, who was eight months pregnant when she was murdered by the Manson cult in 1969.

Polanski denies he stopped over in New York and that the incident ever happened. Condé Nast admits the article got the date wrong but claims the incident took place.

Among the witnesses will be Tate's sister Debra and the actor Mia Farrow, who was with Polanski on the night in question. Catherine Deneuve and Natassja Kinski have also prepared witness statements.

The case will be heard by Mr Justice Eady and a jury, and is expected to last around a week.

