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19.10.21
Neighbour CCTV harassment and data protection claim succeeds
Introduction On 12 October 2021, Oxford County Court handed down judgment in Fairhurst v Woodard (Case No: G00MK161). A dispute between neighbours over the use of cameras for security purposes, the case gave rise to successful claims in harassment and data protection, and offers an important note of caution for those looking to install surveillance…
Read more18.10.21
Footballers assert data protection claim over the use of performance statistics
Data is a commodity, with businesses buying and selling huge amounts of it every day. Generally, the personal data sold is authorised by the individuals to which it relates (often unwittingly by a waiver never read in a thrice-removed hyperlink alongside “accept cookies” or “I agree to these terms and conditions”). Russell Slade, however, is…
Read more4.10.21
Brett Wilson LLP’s departments and lawyers recognised by Legal 500
Brett Wilson LLP has again been recommended in three categories in the prestigious Legal 500 directory of leading law firms:- Reputation Management Professional Discipline Crime (General) Media and communications law partners Iain Wilson (described as ‘superb’) and Max Campbell (noted for his ‘brilliant judgement and [standing] out among solicitors in this area for his strategic approach’) have been…
Read more7.09.21
Section 13 of the Defamation Act 2013 – Removal orders against non-parties
Section 13(1) of the Defamation Act 2013 allows a Court to order that a non-party to cease communicating a defendant’s defamatory statement. Such an order can be made against a website operator, requiring them to remove the statement (section 13(a)), or any person who was not the author, editor or publisher of the defamatory who…
Read more23.07.21
Tommy Robinson ordered to pay £100,000 in damages to schoolboy he defamed on Facebook
On 22 July 2021, Mr Justice Nicklin handed down judgment in the Hijazi v Yaxley defamation proceedings (Yaxley-Lennon is popularly known by his pseudonym, Tommy Robinson). The full judgment (Hijazi v Yaxley-Lennon [2021] EWHC 2008 (QB)) can be found here. Early in the litigation Mr Yaxley-Lennon was represented by solicitors and lead Counsel. In the…
Read more9.07.21
Why suing your neighbours for harassment should always be a last resort
In McGill v Stewart & Anor [2020] EWHC 3387 (QB), Master McCloud made her feelings about neighbour disputes clear:- “…In the modernising legal system one hopes that such fallings-out will be less painful when resolved away from formal court settings. The courts themselves have limited resources, and whilst I appreciate that neighbour disputes are significant…
Read more8.07.21
Wagatha Christie: Court rules on strike out and summary judgment application
Background The ‘Wagatha Christie litigation’, as it is affectionately known, is the fascinating case of mistrust between friends and a sting operation to find a leak. Colleen Rooney (wife of footballer Wayne) became concerned that ‘stories’ she was publishing to her private Instagram account – to which only her actual friends had access – were…
Read more30.06.21
Adham Harker joins Brett Wilson LLP’s Media and Communications Law team
Adham Harker has joined Brett Wilson LLP’s Media and Communications Law team. Adham has advised and acted in a range of media, IP and commercial disputes from pre-action to trial, with extensive experience of Business & Property Court litigation. For Adham’s full biography, please click here.
Read more10.06.21
#MeToo allegations and trigger warnings: when sensitivity can backfire
When a person chooses to make #metoo allegations on social media, there is almost always going to be some risk that they are exposing themselves to potential defamation proceedings. The easiest way to limit exposure is to avoid naming the accused person, or including information that may identify them. Many people, however, feel compelled to…
Read more9.06.21
Number of defamation claims issued falls by over 50%
Annual data published on 3 June 2021 shows that defamation claims issued in 2020 in the Royal Courts of Justice (where the vast majority of defamation claims are issued) have fallen from 323 in 2019 to just 152 in 2020. The statistics show a continuing trend of claims being brought against non-media defendants (e.g. bloggers…
Read moreLegal Disclaimer
Articles are intended as an introduction to the topic and do not constitute legal advice.
