“Home Secretary Jacqui Smith will fight defamation proceedings launched against her by a US ‘shock jock’ barred from entering the UK, the Home Office said today.”
The Independent, 1st June 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“Editors including the Guardian’s Alan Rusbridger warned MPs yesterday that the ‘chilling’ costs of legal action were increasingly deterring investigative journalism.”
The Guardian, 5th May 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A US radio presenter barred from entering Britain said today he would sue the British government for defamation after his name was published on an official list of ‘promoters of hate’.”
The Independent, 6th May 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill has accepted substantial libel damages from the owners of a website.”
BBC News, 28th April 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A Conservative female MP named in the infamous ‘smear’ emails sent by former spin doctor Damian McBride is to sue over the episode in a move that could see Downing Street dirty tricks debated in court.”
The Guardian, 26th April 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A progressive Muslim imam from Oxford has won a libel action against a Muslim newspaper in what he claims is a ‘watershed moment’ in the battle between liberal and extremist Muslims in Britain.”
The Times, 8th April 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“A leader of Britain’s largest Muslim organisation is threatening to sue Hazel Blears, the secretary of state for communities, after she accused him of calling for violence against Jewish communities and British troops.”
The Guardian, 4th April 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Campaigner Erin Pizzey has accepted undisclosed libel damages over claims that she supported British terror group the Angry Brigade in the early 1970s.”
BBC News, 1st April 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“The actor and comedian Rowan Atkinson and writer Andrew O’Hagan are heading a coalition of entertainers, writers, lawyers and journalists in a move today for the scrapping of an archaic law that allows people to be jailed for speaking out.”
The Times, 23rd March 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“Jack Straw is to examine the ‘chilling’ menace of internet libel which makes newspapers liable to legal action every time an article is downloaded from their websites.”
The Times, 11th March 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Times Newspapers Limited (Nos 1 and 2) v United Kingdom
European Court of Human Rights
“The European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that a court’s finding that Times Newspapers Ltd had libelled G. L. by the continued publication on its internet site of two articles was not a disproportionate restriction on the newspaper’s freedom of expression, as guaranteed by article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.”
The Times, 11th March 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
“Eight newspapers and Sky News have apologised and paid substantial libel damages to a woman over stories alleging that her house had been trashed by gatecrashers after her daughter publicised her 16th birthday party on Facebook.”
The Guardian, 4th March 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“New proposals to control costs in defamation proceedings were announced by Justice Minister Bridget Prentice today.”
Ministry of Justice, 24th February 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“Plans to cap what can be multi-million pound legal fees incurred in fighting libel cases were outlined by the Government today after pressure from media groups.”
The Times, 24th February 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
” Fund managers accepted a public apology and ‘substantial’ undisclosed libel damages today over newspaper allegations that they intended to keep £1 billion of their investors’ money for themselves.”
The Times, 10th February 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“A community worker has accepted ‘substantial’ undisclosed libel damages over a claim Children in Need money was passed to the 7/7 bombers.”
BBC News, 2nd February 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“The Daily Mail’s publishers have been ordered to pay court costs of a former Catholic Church spokesman who won a libel action against the newspaper.”
BBC News, 30th January 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A man who was criticised in the comments section of his own blog cannot sue for defamation because he did not delete the comment when he discovered it, the High Court has said. The Court said that the man consented to the comment’s publication.”
OUT-LAW.com, 27th January 2009
Source: www.out-law.com
“Sharon Osbourne has accepted libel damages from The Sun newspaper over a 2007 story which alleged she was driving husband Ozzy ‘to destruction’.
BBC News, 15th January 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Freeguard and Another v Marlet Homes Ltd
Court of Appeal
“The words ‘Let me know if he is abusive to you’ were not in their ordinary and natural meaning capable of bearing any defamatory meaning or innuendo.”
The Times, 15th January 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
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