Express group to pay McCann friends damages – The Times
“Friends of Madeleine McCann’s parents are expected to accept libel damages of £375,000 today.”
The Times, 16th October 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Category: defamation
WPP settles lawsuit against former director – The Times
“A multimillion-pound lawsuit brought by advertising company WPP against its former Italian director Marco Benatti was settled on undisclosed terms in the High Court today.”
The Times, 14th October 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
London becomes defamation capital for world’s celebrities – The Independent
“There was once a golden age of celebrity when those lucky enough to earn a living as actors, singers or models were grateful for all the publicity they could get. Not any more. The number of stars of stage and screen resorting to legal action has doubled since 2005, helping to make London the defamation capital of the world.”
The Independent, 13th October 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Apology over Pc ‘killer’ report – BBC News
“A Met police officer has accepted a public apology over a false claim that he ran down and killed a teenage thief.”
BBC News, 9th October 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Judge orders BBC payout in libel battle with IVF doctor Mohamed Taranissi – The Guardian
“The high court ordered the BBC to pay an estimated £500,000 in costs to IVF specialist Mohamed Taranissi today in his continuing libel action over a Panorama programme.”
The Guardian, 8th October 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Offer of amends’ could lead to fewer libel cases at trial – Law Society’s Gazette
“The settlement of a high-profile libel case between supermarket giant Tesco and the Guardian newspaper will encourage the use of ‘offers of amends’ as an alternative to trials, libel lawyers said this week.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 18th September 2008
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Westcott v Westcott – Times Law Reports
Court of Appeal
“A person who made a complaint to the police, instigating an investigation which did not lead to a prosecution, was entitled to rely on the defence of absolute privilege if proceedings were subsequently brought.”
The Times, 27th August 2008
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.
Apology for Rushdie over book lies – The Independent
“Author Sir Salman Rushdie came to the High Court in London today to hear apologies from the writers and publishers of a book which they admitted contained falsehoods about his time under police protection.”
The Independent, 26th August 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Salman Rushdie to appear in High Court as libel case is settled – The Times
“Sir Salman Rushdie will be at the High Court today for the settlement of a libel action he brought over allegations in a book written by a former policeman.”
The Times, 26th August 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
University lecturer wins £10,000 libel damages over expenses slur – Daily Telegraph
“A lecturer has won £10,000 in libel damages after his university falsely accused him of making up expenses claims.”
Daily Telegraph, 26th August 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Invasion of the libel tourists – The Independent
“US celebrities are being actively courted by media lawyers to take advantage of Britain’s tougher libel laws and bring their cases to London.”
The Independent, 21st August 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Internet chat more likely slander than libel, says High Court – OUT-LAW.com
“Defamation on internet bulletin boards is more like slander than libel, a High Court judge has ruled. Mr Justice Eady said that bulletin board discussions are characterised by ‘give and take’ and should be considered in that context.”
OUT-LAW.com, 7th August 2008
Source: www.out-law.com
Barry George, the man cleared of Jill Dando’s murder, may sue over photo – The Times
“Barry George, who was cleared last week of murdering the Crimewatch presenter Jill Dando, is considering legal action over the picture of a masked gunman that police claim is him.”
The Times, 4th August 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Cole wins ‘beating’ claim pay-out – BBC News
“Former England and Manchester United star Andrew Cole has accepted substantial undisclosed damages over a newspaper’s claim he beat his wife.”
BBC News, 30th July 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Tesco tax avoidance schemes can form part of libel case, judge rules – The Guardian
“Details of elaborate offshore corporation tax avoidance schemes operated by Tesco were yesterday allowed to be introduced into evidence in a libel case the supermarket chain is bringing against the Guardian.”
The Guardian, 30th July 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Katona wins substantial damages – BBC News
“TV personality Kerry Katona has been awarded substantial damages over newspaper claims she worked as a prostitute before she was famous.”
BBC News, 28th July 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Media: Mosley to sue News of the World for libel after high court success – The Guradian
“Max Mosley is suing the News of the World for libel, having last week won a record £60,000 in damages from the paper for invasion of privacy.”
The Guardian, 28th July 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
A canny kiss and tell – The Guardian
“The News of the World editor, Colin Myler, will this week be examining the complex balance sheet resulting from his near-£1m legal battle with Max Mosley. But the financial penalties are by no means fatal, either for Myler’s career or for the fortunes of his paper. In short, this is very far from the end of the world for the News of the World. Or the end of the line for kiss and tell.”
The Guardian, 28th July 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Podcast 75: Carl Gardner on the Mosley judgment, privacy and exemplary damages – Charon QC
“Today I am talking to Carl Gardner, barrister and author of the Head of Legal blog, about the judgment of Mr Justice Eady in Mosley. We examine the developing law on privacy, exemplary damages and question whether the decision was in fact a ‘landmark’ decision in some aspect, including, as a side effect, the law on consent generally after R v Brown.”
Charon QC, 26th July 2008
Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com
“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.
Punishment that was not a crime: why Mosley won in the high court – The Guardian
“It was at 7:50am on Thursday July 10 when it all started to go really wrong for the News of the World. It was then, on the fourth day of Max Mosley’s privacy action, that the paper’s barrister, Mark Warby QC, received the devastating news from his clients. Woman E, the dominatrix paid £12,000 to secretly film Mosley in a sadomasochistic orgy, wasn’t coming to court that morning to appear as the paper’s star witness after all. ‘Her emotional and mental state is such that it would not be fair or reasonable to call her to give evidence’, Warby told the judge, Mr Justice Eady.”
The Guardian, 25th July 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
