Year: 2008

Apology for Prince Philip cancer story

The Evening Standard has today published a prominent apology to Prince Philip for a story it published on its front page yesterday, which stated that the Prince had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. As intimated in its statement… Read More »

Palace to make privacy complaint

Buckingham Palace has issued a statement denying the truth of an Evening Standard article claiming that Prince Philip has prostate cancer and stating that a privacy complaint will be made to the Press Complaints Commission…. Read More »

George Galloway wins libel damages

George Galloway MP was today awarded £15,000 in libel damages by Mr Justice Eady in respect of a broadcast on a local and internet radio station which alleged that he held anti-Semitic views.   Jcom Radio, a Jewish community… Read More »

400k fine for BBC phone-in fakery

Ofcom has today fined the BBC a record £400,000 for “very serious” breaches of the Broadcasting Code after the broadcaster deceived its audience by faking winners of competitions and “deliberately conducting competitions unfairly”.  The largest single fine – £115k… Read More »

Max Mosley awarded £60,000

Max Mosley today succeeded in his High Court privacy action brought against News Group Newspapers over The News of the World‘s publication of a video and accompanying article which showed intimate scenes of Mr Mosley… Read More »

Irish privacy claimant wins €90k

A woman has been awarded €90,000 (£71,000) damages against Associated Newspapers (Ireland) for publishing articles about her relationship with a priest based on unlawfully tapped phone conversations. The articles, published over three successive weeks in… Read More »

Media gain access to care case

The President of the Family Division today ruled that the media may report details from a care case following the abduction of the child involved.   The case had attracted press attention after the child’s… Read More »

Warren wins offer of amends appeal

Publisher Random House has lost its attempt to withdraw an offer of amends made to Frank Warren in favour of a justification defence in its battle with the boxing promoter over Ricky Hatton’s autobiography.  … Read More »

Max Mosley privacy trial concludes

The trial of the privacy action brought by FIA President Max Mosley concluded in the High Court today.   James Price QC, acting for Mr Mosley, who is bringing the claim against News Group Newspapers… Read More »

Scottish solicitor cleared of contempt

A Scottish Human rights lawyer who commented on the conviction of a man for terrorism offences did not commit contempt, the Scottish High Court ruled this week. Aamer Anwar described the man’s conviction as ‘a tragedy… Read More »

UK phone tap laws violated Article 8

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the interception of communications under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees citizens a right to respect… Read More »

Mosley damages claim survives

News Group Newspapers today lost its application to strike-out the exemplary damages claim brought against it by Max Mosley, the president of motor racing’s governing body. Mr Mosley has brought an action for invasion of… Read More »

Police raid privacy complaint upheld

The PCC today issued an important privacy ruling on website video images and stills of a police drugs raid published in a regional newspaper. The Scarborough Evening News accompanied police on the raid of a… Read More »

US court rejects ‘character’ privacy

An underpants-clad guitar-playing cowboy has had his privacy claim against the maker of M&Ms and its ad agency for their alleged appropriation of his likeness and persona dismissed by a New York judge, although his claim for trade… Read More »

Ofcom imposes record radio fine

The broadcasting regulator Ofcom has fined GCap Media plc £1,110,000 in respect of unfair conduct in its running of a “secret sound” competition.   The competition, which was broadcast on 30 of GCap’s local radio… Read More »

PCC reject Rowling home address complaint

The Press Complaints Commission has rejected a complaint from JK Rowling under Clause 3 (Privacy) of the PCC Code against three newspapers which had published details of where she lives. The Harry Potter author had,… Read More »

Hanratty denied permission to appeal

Stephen Hanratty, the Defendant in a libel claim brought by Gentoo Group and its CEO Peter Walls, has been denied permission to appeal against the ruling of Eady J that the limitation period be disapplied and… Read More »

New review of CFAs announced

A research based review of no win no fee arrangements in England and Wales was announced today by the Ministry of Justice. The study, to be carried out by senior academics, will look at whether the… Read More »

Ronaldo wins ‘text message’ damages

Manchester United and Portugal star Christiano Ronaldo accepted undisclosed damages in the High Court yesterday over a newspaper claim that he was fined £8,000 by Sir Alex Ferguson for using his mobile phone four times… Read More »