A politician has apologised to a daily newspaper journalist who took legal action over “seriously defamatory” postings on his Facebook page and blog.

Nelson McCausland, a former Member of the Legislative Assembly in Northern Ireland, is also to make a donation to charity as part of the settlement reached in a libel action brought against him by Allison Morris, security correspondent at the Irish News.

The settlement was announced ahead of a planned libel trial at the High Court, in Belfast, after Allison sued the former Democratic Unionist Party politician over comments about her which appeared on his online blog three years ago.

Mr McCausland, who served as an MLA between 2003 and 2017, did not personally make the postings, but proceedings were issued against him as the site’s operator.

According to the Belfast-based News, the claim also centred on a link put up on his Facebook page.

Under the terms of the resolution, a statement was read out on behalf of Mr McCausland, with his counsel telling the court: “In April and May of 2016, articles were posted on the defendant’s Facebook page and a blog maintained by him which were seriously defamatory of the plaintiff.

“These posts alleged that the plaintiff had been guilty of inappropriate conduct of both a personal and professional nature.

“Whilst the defendant did not post these articles, he did provide a link to one of them on his Facebook page. He accepts that there was no truth in any of the allegations and imputations contained in them, and regrets that they were ever posted.

“Accordingly, the defendant apologises unreservedly to the plaintiff for the fact that such articles were posted on his Facebook page and blog and, as a mark of his respect, shall be making an agreed donation to a mutually agreed charity.”

Outside court, Allison said: “I welcome this apology and would hope that it sends out a very strong message that women in the media or in any other public role are not open season for online abuse of a misogynistic nature.”

She added: “I would like to thank my solicitor Laura Cunningham, my editor Noel Doran and Irish News managing director Dominic Fitzpatrick for their support during what was a very difficult and distressing time.”