A man has been awarded damages after being attacked by vigilantes when posters were pushed through his neighbours' doors - wrongly describing him as a paedophile.

Paul Ford, 53, was hounded in a libellous campaign organised by taekwondo teacher Kathy Hook, following a fall-out between the pair at the club where she taught.

The A4 flyers, delivered to homes in the Bentley area of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, read: 'Do you know you have a paedophile living on your street?'

Paul Ford, pictured, claims he was attacked by vigilantes after posters were pushed through his neighbours' door wrongly describing him as a paedophile

The leaflets also listed Mr Ford's name and address, and added: 'Arrested last year - found with videos of children in his house.'

Mr Ford said: 'I've been attacked and suffered black eyes and had my scooter smashed up.

'My life has been a nightmare.'

Mrs Hook was given a police caution following the incident in 2011 but Mr Ford took civil action against her because he wanted to clear his name.

At Sheffield County Court - in one of few cases where an individual has sued for libel - the allegations were found to be untrue and the videos were in fact innocent films of his own children, now adults, at a martial arts class.

Mr Ford was awarded £10,000 in libel damages, £1,850 for legal advice costs, and £650 for his time on the case.

'I've been attacked and suffered black eyes and had my scooter smashed up because of these flyers.

'My life has been a nightmare since this. I feel I can get my life back.

Paul Ford was hounded in a smear campaign organised by taekwondo teacher Kathy Hook, (pictured) following a fall-out between the pair at the club where she taught

'Ill probably get the money eventually but that's not the point. I needed my name clearing. The flyers said I'd done this and I had done none of it.'

Mrs Hook, 44, who didn't attend the hearing as she was on holiday, admitted she was 'hot-headed' when she carried out the campaign.

The pair had been involved in a long-running dispute over the Ultimate Taekwondo club she runs in Armthorpe, South Yorkshire.

According to Mr Ford's solicitor, Brian Wrigley, the row developed 'like an acorn that grew into an enormous oak tree and became out of control'.

Mr Ford said his dispute with Kathy Hook began in 2002 when two of his children were members of the club.

One of them sustained injuries, he said, sparking a long-running row over health and safety.

In December 2003, the children were 'kicked out' of the club, which Mr Ford said was down to his grievance with its leader.

Mrs Hook has disputed much of what Mr Ford has said.



Mr Ford says a complaint of harassment made against him was withdrawn in 2010.



Mrs Hook, who lives in a detached house with her family, says she will not be able to pay the £12,500 court order by the deadline of October 29.

The unfounded allegation referred to videos Mr Ford took of his two children, who are now adults, when they took part in martial arts classes.

But he maintains the videos, which can be found on YouTube and are available for anyone to view at his house, are completely innocent and contain nothing of a sexual nature.

Paul Ford, pictured, was awarded £10,000 in libel damages, £1,850 for legal advice costs, and £650 for his time on the case

Mrs Hook, who represented Great Britain at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and has won medals in World Championships, competing in more championships than any other British competitor, contended the films showed other children who he did not have permission to film.

The case went to court last year but Mrs Hook's request for an adjournment because of a pre-booked holiday clashing with the court date was refused by the judge.

Mr Ford says court documents show Mrs Hook's counterclaim over the recent case has been dismissed.

Mrs Hook, who claimed she would be appealing the decision, was named the Unsung Hero of Yorkshire in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards in 2012 .

She said: 'I think the judgement is totally unfair and people will see him as the hero in this. To me he has won a hollow victory.'



Referring to the libellous flyers, she added: 'In hindsight it was not a good idea. It was something I did on my own.