Summing up, Mr Justice Coulson said: “The claimant’s own evidence demonstrates that this claim should never have been brought. The claimant’s own evidence demonstrates that he made the silent calls. The claimant’s own evidence demonstrates that he was also closely linked to the malicious calls and, unless there was evidence of coincidence that he was not responsible for those calls, the jury was plainly and obviously going to find that he was responsible for those calls, too.

“With that, the entirety of his claim for libel fell away. I’ve no doubt that the justice of the case requires that the claimant should pay the defendant’s costs.

“It’s quite clear to me that this action should never have been brought, hence the order for indemnity costs and I only hope that that order and the very belated discontinuance of this claim will go some way to meeting the stress and upset that this wholly unjustified claim has brought to the defendant.”

Mr Calver, 61, told the Daily Post he was “naturally relieved”.

He added: “I would like to thank my wife and family, who have been put through an enormous amount of needless stress over a period of almost two years. My colleagues have been dragged into this case and had their reputations traduced in open court without any basis.”

Mr Noorani’s barrister, Lois Cole-Wilson, pleaded for leniency in any costs settlement, claiming her client has “financial difficulties”. Despite owning up to a dozen properties, the court heard he has debts of around £500,000.

The judge responded: “There would be those that are saying that if he is in some financial difficulties that the last thing he should have been doing is making this claim.

“You don’t embark on High Court litigation on the basis that if you lose it’s a free ride.”

Mr Noorani declined to comment.