Cases

Lowe v Associated Newspapers Ltd

Facts

The Chairman of Southampton FC sued Associated Newspapers Ltd over an article which contained two accusations: one about his alleged mistreatment of former manager, Dave Jones, and one alleging that his company’s take-over of the football club in 1997 had been a “repellent piece of financial chicanery”. The Defendant relied principally on a plea of fair comment, although it also advanced an alternative defence of justification. The parties made a number of interim applications, the most substantial of which related to the issue of fair comment and included an application by the Claimant to strike out particulars of fact relied upon on the basis that such facts were not referred to or indicated in the words complained of and/or were irrelevant to the allegation as against the Claimant.

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