Hutchence Girlfriend Wins Damages

Wednesday, June 7th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

LONDON (AP) â€” The girlfriend of the late INXS singer Michael Hutchence won substantial damages Wednesday from the publishers of a book that said she deliberately became pregnant to trap him into a relationship.

Paula Yates also received an apology from The Mail on Sunday tabloid, which published excerpts from the book by Vince Lovegrove last year.

Yates, a TV personality and author, was Hutchence's partner from 1994 until his death in November 1997. Their daughter, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily, was born July 22, 1996.

Yates said after the hearing she was pleased. ``I think when people start to tell lies about a 3-year-old child who has lost her father, anyone would take action,'' she said.

Sums of the settlement with the book's British publishers, Faber & Faber, and its original Australian publishers were not disclosed.