Yusuf Islam, the former Cat Stevens, today accepted substantial undisclosed libel damages over a claim he was a sexist bigot who wouldn't speak to women not wearing a veil.

The Muslim singer's solicitor, Adam Tudor, told the High Court that the allegations, published in March last year, were entirely false.

"Mr Islam has never had any difficulties working with women, whether for religious or any other reasons," he said. Mr Tudor said the article was distributed by the agency World Entertainment News Network to subscribers, including the Contactmusic.com website.

He added: "Unsurprisingly, the article caused Mr Islam considerable embarrassment and distress, particularly given that it had the effect not only of creating an utterly false impression of his attitude to women but also because it cast serious aspersions, quite wrongly, on his religious faith, which is a matter of the utmost importance to him."

He said that WENN and Contactmusic.com had already published apologies and agreed to pay the damages, which were to be donated to the charity Small Kindness, and Mr Islam's legal costs.

Mr Islam was not in court.

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