Bhadresh Gohil, a partner at Arlingtons Sharmas Solicitors in St James’s has sent notices to the Mail On Sunday, Sunday Mail, The Sunday Telegraph and The Sunday Times, asking them to refrain from publishing or printing M J Akbar’s name. Guido hears Gohil claims he will be issuing proceedings against two papers.

Akbar (pictured) says he was not in London in May. Which is going to make it expensively awkward for some newspapers, who can definitely expect substantive action for malicious defamation.