Plebgate Verdict: Andrew Mitchell 'Bitterly Disappointed' at Losing Libel Trial

Former chief whip Andrew Mitchell has said he is "bitterly disappointed" by the verdict in his High Court libel action against the News Group Newspapers.

In a statement given outside the High Court, Mitchell said that the judge's ruling followed a "miserable two years" and that he now wanted to "bring this matter to a close and get on with our lives".

Pc Toby Rowland, the police officer at the centre of the incident, said that he hoped a "line can be drawn and everyone can be left in peace".

Justice Mitting said that "on the balance of probabilities", it was likely the politician used the "potentially toxic" word "pleb" towards policemen.

He could face costs of over £2m for the legal action against the media company for a story published in The Sun in September 2012 that stated Mitchell had called PC Toby Rowland a "pleb".

News Group Newspapers said that they had based the story on the account given by Pc Toby Rowland and that the claim he had called him a "pleb" was substantially true.

Mitchell denied saying: "Best you learn your f****** place - you don't run this f****** government - you're f****** plebs."

He told the judge: "I did not say those words. I would never call a policeman a pleb, let alone a f******* pleb."

He then admitted saying under his breath: "I thought you lot were supposed to f****** help us", but not at the officer."

He resigned a month after the altercation with the policemen, which was caught on CCTV,