Liam Payne’s friend is suing the singer’s father for defamation

The father of late One Direction star Liam Payne, Geoff Payne, has been named in a US defamation case by the singer’s friend Roger Nores.

Payne died at the age of 31. from “multiple traumas” and “internal and external bleeding” after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

Five people were charged with his death, including Mr. Nores, who was charged with murder. Prosecutors in Argentina said he had “abandoned” the singer and failed in his duty of care.

In a legal complaint filed in Florida on Wednesday, Mr. Nores said Payne’s father made “false” statements to Argentine officials that “contained material omissions and many parts were not based on personal knowledge.”

The disputed statements include allegations that Payne was under the care of Kate Cassidy and Mr Nores, his girlfriend, “because of his addictions”.

However, Mr Nores claims his relationship with Payne was misrepresented, saying they had a “great mutual friendship” but “never had a duty of care to him”.

“Liam was an independent adult who made all his own decisions,” the lawsuit said.

He stated that Mr Nores was “never Liam’s carer”.

He added that the statements made by Payne’s father, which were shared with the media, had a “damaging effect” on his reputation with “major damage of mega proportions”.

The new document said the “net financial proceeds” of the lawsuit would go to the One Direction and solo star’s son Bear, who he shared with Girls Aloud singer Cheryl.

Cheryl was among the mourners in Payne’s funeral in NovemberAlong with former bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik.

A UK inquest into Payne’s death has been adjourned pending a pre-inquest review on November 6.

The Press Association has contacted Mr Nores and Mr Payne for comment.