Cases

Angel v Stainton & Another

Held

The right starting figure was £40,000. Although there was a limited publication and no evidence of any lasting actual damage, this was a very serious allegation touching upon the claimant’s core attributes. It was important that people should not feel that ‘there was no smoke without fire’. As to the appropriate discount, the defendants had not only failed to capitulate at an early stage, their attitude being grudging and not sufficiently conciliatory, they had also aggravated the hurt to the claimant by persisting until a late stage in the suggestion that the claimant’s character might be attacked in court. Applying a 40% reduction, the Court awarded compensation in the sum of £24,000.

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