Defamation/ Libel
8.01.19
Monir v Wood: Think before you allow someone else to tweet on your behalf
In a very detailed judgment in the case of Monir v Wood [2018] EWHC 3525 (QB), Mr Justice Nicklin set out the law in relation to various complex issues that can arise in a libel claim. The purpose of this article is not to summarise and comment on the entirety of the case, but instead…
Read more7.12.18
YouTuber who persistently breached injunction jailed for four months
In Al-Ko Kober Ltd and another v Sambhi Mr Justice Nicol sentenced Balvinder Sambhi to four months’ imprisonment for contempt of court for repeated breaches of an injunction. Mr Sambhi had set up his own YouTube channel and used it, amongst other things, to publish a series of videos which made derogatory comments about one of…
Read more6.12.18
Economou v De Freitas: is a contributor to a matter of public interest now immune from suit?
In Economou v De Freitas [2018] EWCA Civ 2591, the Court of Appeal considered the scope of the “publication on a matter of public interest” defence under section 4 of the Defamation Act 2013 for the first time. Facts As the Court of Appeal acknowledged, the background to the claim was tragic. In late December…
Read more29.11.18
Recoverability of CFA success fees in defamation and privacy claims to be abolished (but ATE to remain for now)
The government has announced that from 6 April 2019 conditional fee agreement (‘CFA’) success fees will no longer be recoverable from opponents in defamation and privacy claims. The Ministerial Statement made by David Gauke the Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary can be found here. CFAs – colloquially known as ‘no win, no fee’ agreements –…
Read more27.11.18
Doyle v Smith: Blogger’s public interest defence fails
In Doyle v Smith [2018] EWHC 2935 (QB), a parish councillor and blogger/citizen journalist, failed to defend a libel claim on the grounds that publication had been on a matter of public interest. The case is the first example of a blogger seeking to rely on the statutory defence introduced by section 4 of the…
Read more9.11.18
The Mail pays libel damages to Treasury Counsel over alleged errors in Ben Stokes prosecution
The Mail has agreed to pay libel damages and legal costs to Treasury Counsel Alison Morgan after suggesting that she was facing criticism for selecting the wrong charges in the prosecution of international cricketer Ben Stokes and responsible for a decision not to charge fellow England cricketer Alex Hales. An apology published in the Mail…
Read more29.09.18
Leading media lawyer to face SDT over alleged ‘offensive and profane’ comments on social media
Mark Lewis, a solicitor who undertook pioneering work in bringing phone-hacking claims against the News of the World, is being prosecuted by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (‘SRA’) before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (‘SDT’) in respect of allegations that he posted ‘offensive and profane’ communications on social media. It is alleged by the SRA that on…
Read more21.09.18
Elton John accepts libel damages from The Sun on Sunday over allegations that his dog injured a child
In a joint statement read in the High Court, it was confirmed that Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish have settled their libel claim against New Group Newspapers Limited, the publishers of the The Sun on Sunday. In an article published on the newspaper’s front paper in February 2018, it was alleged that the claimants’…
Read more8.09.18
Anonymous litigant-in-person ordered to reveal his identity
In media litigation, it is not uncommon for a claimant to be anonymised (this is particularly the case in proceedings for breach of confidence and/or misuse of private information), but what is remarkable about the case of ABC v Google Inc. [2018] EWHC 137 (QB) is that the claimant has managed to conceal his identity from…
Read more8.08.18
Love Island and the perils of online trolling
Love Island has come to an end and it certainly divided opinion. For some, the ITV2 reality dating show set in a luxurious villa in Mallorca was one of the highlights of this glorious summer and a welcome alternative to what seemed like endless hours of World Cup football. For many others, it was the…
Read moreLegal Disclaimer
Articles are intended as an introduction to the topic and do not constitute legal advice.