UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥

Legal News

Libel—serious harm and bad reputation (Bates v Rubython and BusinessF1 Magazine)

Published on: 28 January 2025

Table of contents

  • What are the practical implications of the case?
  • What is the background of this case?
  • What did the court decide?
  • Case details

Article summary

TMT analysis: In this libel case, the defendants offered no substantive defences and instead sought to demonstrate that the claimant had not suffered serious harm to his reputation caused by their publication (as required by section 1 of the Defamation Act 2013 (DA 2013)). The claim succeeded with damages, an injunction and an order under DA 2013, s 12 granted. The case contains valuable discussion of the requirements of pleading pre-existing bad reputation as a counter to a plea of serious harm. It also exemplifies a successful plea of serious harm to reputation in circumstances where the claimant relied entirely on inference to make out his case. The judgment ends with useful application of the principles relating to damages and other remedies in defamation claims. A very substantial award of £150,000 was made in this case. Hector Penny is a barrister at 5RB Chambers.

Popular documents