Cases

Wood v Chief Constable of West Midlands Police (CA)

Facts

The Claimant and H, trading as VSG, were in motor salvage for the insurance industry. H was arrested and charged with handling stolen motor vehicles, unconnected with VSG. Prior to H's trial, a senior police officer wrote letters to members of the insurance world, including to a client of VSG, advising of H's arrest and of his attempt "to disguise his criminal activities with a veil of legitimacy", thereby referring to VSG. The letters did not name W, but he sued in libel complaining that the letters implicated him, as H's partner in VSG and its public face, in the alleged criminal activity of H. The police raised qualified privilege, namely, a duty to prevent crime. At the trial, the client of VSG to whom a letter was sent gave unexpected evidence that the letter was never received.

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