Solicitor wins poster libel case

£50,000 damages for allegations plastered over a Range Rover

A UK solicitor has won his libel claim against a former client with the payment of £50,000 in damages, an apology, an undertaking not to repeat and indemnity costs.

Stewart Wiseman, a solicitor at Lorrells LLP brought an action against Mr Sullivan who was a client of Mr Wiseman at his former firm, Thornton Law. After a dispute about fees arose, Mr Sullivan parked his Range Rover outside Mr Wisman’s house and office, covering it with posters and placards making a variety of serious defamatory allegations, including that Mr Wiseman had charged him for a day’s work when he had in fact been on the golf course. Photographs of the placard covered car found their way onto the internet.

Mr Sullivan mounted a defence of justification. However after two days of trial that defence was withdrawn at the conclusion of the cross examination of Mr Sullivan, who joined in a statement acknowledging that the allegaitons were entirely untrue and apologised to Mr Wiseman and his family for the distress which they had caused.

The Daily Mail has a report of the case here.

5RB‘s Jacob Dean acted for Mr Wiseman.