Cases

Bataille v Newland & Ors

Facts

Both the Defendants were important and respected figures in the world of medicine, and both were employed by Queen Mary and Westfield College as Professors. The Claimant was a medical doctor specialising in skin cancer who was also employed by QMW as a senior lecturer in the Oncology Department which was headed by the first Defendant. The libel action arose out of the publication of a letter sent by the first Defendant to at least three people, regarding the Claimant's conduct whilst at QMW . The meanings of the words complained of were to the effect that the Claimant was guilty of a breach of ethical standards and a gross dereliction of her duty in that she had transferred patients' DNA samples without their consent to a commercial company in which she and her husband had a personal financial interest, and that she had dishonestly concealed that interest. The Second Defendant applied to strike out on liability for publication .

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