Free speech and e-media – Counsel
‘Google, Facebook, Twitter and other intermediaries increasingly face a broadly united front of protest. Is it time to regulate? asks Richard Spearman QC.’
Counsel, June 2017
Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk
Category: defamation
Range of factors behind fall in number of defamation cases, says expert – OUT-LAW.com
‘A change in the law that makes it more challenging to prove defamation in England and Wales is just one reason why the number of defamation cases brought in the UK fell last year, according to a media law expert.’
OUT-LAW.com, 7th June 2017
Source: www.out-law.com
Defamation cases slump to nine-year low – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The number of reported defamation cases in the UK is at the lowest level since 2008/9, partly due to the Defamation Act 2013, according to research published today.’
Law Society's Gazette, 30th May 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Sir Cliff Richard and BBC pause legal fight over report – BBC News
‘Sir Cliff Richard and the BBC have agreed to try to reach a settlement over coverage of a police raid on the singer’s home.’
BBC News, 5th May 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
BBC attacks Sir Cliff Richard’s ‘grossly unreasonable’ spending on lawyers in his fight for damages against them – Daily Telegraph
‘BBC bosses say Sir Cliff Richard has spent “grossly unreasonable” amounts on lawyers after complaining about reports naming him as a suspected sex offender and taking legal action.’
Daily Telegraph, 4th May 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Anti-racist group Hope Not Hate sues Nigel Farage for libel – The Independent
‘Anti-racist group Hope Not Hate is suing Nigel Farage for libel after he alleged that it makes use of “violence” in its campaigning.’
The Independent, 23rd April 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Supreme Court dismisses media publishers’ appeals against costs awards – OUT-LAW.com
‘The UK’s highest court has dismissed the appeals of three media publishers against costs orders made against them by High Court judges in separate libel and privacy cases.’
OUT-LAW.com, 18th April 2017
Source: www.out-law.com
Melania Trump accepts Daily Mail damages and apology in libel case – The Guardian
‘The Daily Mail and Mail Online will pay damages to settle a libel claim brought against it by the US first lady Melania Trump over false claims about her work as a professional model.’
The Guardian, 12th April 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Katie Hopkins and serious harm – Law Society’s Gazette
‘Both Katie Hopkins and Jack Monroe are outspoken, including on Twitter. During anti-government protests following the 2015 general election, graffiti was sprayed on to a memorial to the women of the second world war. Hopkins tweeted at 7.20pm on 18 May: ‘@MsJackMonroe scrawled on any memorials recently? Vandalised the memory of those who fought for your freedom. Grandma got any more medals?’ Monroe responded 13 minutes later: ‘I have NEVER “scrawled on a memorial”. Brother in the RAF. Dad was a Para in the Falklands. You’re a piece of shit’. Later that evening she demanded Hopkins delete the tweet, apologise and make a £5,000 donation to charity. By 9.47pm, Hopkins, having realised she had confused Monroe with journalist Laurie Penny, had deleted the first tweet but further tweeted: ‘Can someone explain to me – in 10 words or less – the difference between irritant @PennyRed and social anthrax @MsJackMonroe.’ On 2 June, Hopkins finally tweeted a retraction, but no apology: ‘@MsJackMonroe I was confused about identity. I got it wrong.’’
Law Society’s Gazette, 10th April 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Rule 16.3(7) – Statement of under value to be included in the claim form? – 4 KBW
‘Sir David Eady J delivered a judgment on 30 March in the case of Mohamed Ali Harrath v Stand for Peace Limited and Samuel Westrop [2017] EWHC 653 (QB) (available here) in which he held that a claimant is entitled to recover damages that exceed the statement of value included in the claim form.’
4 KBW, 30th March 2017
Source: www.4kbw.net
Katie Hopkins cannot appeal Jack Monroe libel tweet case – BBC News
‘Columnist Katie Hopkins has been told she cannot appeal against a libel action which landed her with a six-figure bill.’
BBC News, 29th March 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Jack Monroe wins Twitter libel case against Katie Hopkins – The Guardian
‘The writer and food blogger Jack Monroe has won a libel action against the Daily Mail columnist Katie Hopkins and been awarded £24,000 damages, in a row over tweets suggesting Monroe approved of defacing a war memorial during an anti-austerity demonstration in Whitehall.’
The Guardian, 10th March 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Sir Cliff Richard’s legal battle with BBC goes to High Court – Daily Telegraph
‘Lawyers representing Sir Cliff Richard are due in court for the latest stage of a dispute between the singer and the BBC.’
Daily Telegraph, 1st March 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Jane Collins defamation case: Labour Rotherham MPs awarded £54,000 – BBC News
‘Three Labour MPs have each won £54,000 High Court defamation damages from UKIP MEP Jane Collins over remarks she made about Rotherham’s child abuse scandal.’
BBC News, 6th February 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Defamation and data protection: hand-in-glove – Panopticon
‘Suppose you publish a statement about me to which I object. Can I sue you for both defamation and data protection breaches based on the same set of facts? Or should that sort of ‘doubling up’ be prohibited as a disproportionate attempt to achieve the same objective in different ways?’
Panopticon, 27th January 2017
Source: www.panopticonblog.com
Prince wins libel and DPA appeals – 5RB
‘Court of Appeal rules adding DPA inaccuracy claim to libel claim permissible; also finds for Prince on defamatory meaning.’
5RB, 27th January 2017
Source: www.5rb.com
Making newspapers pay legal costs for libel cases even if they win is ’eminently fair’, says Max Mosley – The Independent
‘Proposals which could see newspapers forced to pay their opponents’ legal costs even if they win in court are “eminently fair”, according to Max Mosley.’
The Independent, 3rd January 2017
Source; www.independent.co.uk
Bringing defamation case may have done company more harm than good, says expert – OUT-LAW.com
‘An aircraft charter company has recorded a “pyrrhic victory” in winning £10 in damages for defamatory comments made about the health of its finances by a rival aviation business, an expert has said.’
OUT-LAW.com, 19th December 2016
Source: www.out-law.com
BBC defends defamation claim using justification defence – OUT-LAW.com
‘The BBC has successfully defended a claim that it defamed a London imam before the High Court in London.’
BBC News, 3rd November 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Philip Turvey wins defamation settlement against Daniel Curran of Heir Hunters – The Guardian
‘TV genealogist to pay damages after conceding that rival was maligned by campaign to circulate false information.’
The Guardian, 19th October 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
