Stripper must pay Flatley millions over rape claims

Lord Of The Dance superstar Michael Flatley has been awarded more than £6million damages from an American stripper who claimed he raped her.

The judgment is a massive victory for the 49-year-old multi-millionaire father-of-one, who filed the lawsuit against his accuser and her lawyer almost five years ago.

The woman, 35-year-old Tyna Marie Robertson, had claimed in her original action that Mr Flatley raped her in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2002.

Flatley, however, insisted that sex between the couple, which he did not deny had occurred on two occasions, had been entirely consensual.

It was after their second encounter, Mr Flatley said, that Robertson went to the police in Las Vegas to make allegations of sexual assault, in an attempt to extort millions from him and destroy his reputation.

She also gave false media interviews.

When the police threw out her case, she launched a civil suit.

Although she lost her case in September this year, when Mr Flatley successfully counter-sued her for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress, the dancer had to wait until Friday to learn the size of the sum he would be awarded by the California Supreme Court.

Mr Flatley said: "I am very pleased with the judgment.

"Ms Robertson tried to extort money from me by spreading these lies, and the court today sent a message that it will not tolerate these types of schemes."

He will give to charity whatever is left of his damages after costs. Robertson had apparently turned her back on sleaze to be an estate agent but has since claimed unemployment benefit.

After treatment for skin cancer and a viral infection, Mr Flatley got married in October last year.

He and his wife Niamh's son, also called Michael, was born in April.