Cases

Charman v Orion Publishing Group & others (No.3) (CA)

Held

Allowing the appeal:

(1) The Judge erred in his approach and application of Reynolds privilege. Although the books were not capable of being protected as reportage, the work was entirely responsible journalism. A responsible journalist was well entitled, on the material available to the author, Graeme McLagan, to tell the public that there were cogent grounds to suspect that C abused his position as a police officer by colluding in the commission of a substantial fraud with Brennan from whom C and his partner received corrupt payments totaling £50,000: Reynolds v Times Newspapers and Jameel v Wall Street Journal Europe applied.

(2) The report of the Brennan trial was fair and accurate.

Also