Judgment in Tooley v Times Media Ltd
On 23 March 2026, Mrs Justice Steyn DBE handed down judgment in respect of Cynthia Nkiruka Tooley MBE’s applications for an interim injunction and for Norwich Pharmacal relief against TML. The subject of the underlying proceedings… Read More »
Long running libel claim in Fry v Agilah settled
A long running libel claim in the case of Fry v Agilah settled with the reading of a statement in open court on Friday. The Claimant had sued over an email sent in April 2021… Read More »
Mirror hacking: 4 of 5 claims dismissed
Mr Justice Fancourt has today handed down judgment following the recent trial in the phone hacking litigation against MGN Ltd, publishers of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People, and has dismissed 4 of… Read More »
Judgment in TPI over allegations of bias in BBC News reporting
Judgment has been handed down today in the Trial of Preliminary Issues in Berg v Jones [2026] EWHC 564 (KB). The case concerned an article written by Owen Jones and published on Drop Site News… Read More »
First ‘statutory SLAPP’ declared by High Court in libel claim
In a judgment handed down today, [2026] EWHC 551 (KB), Mrs Justice Collins Rice has for the first time declared that a claim is a ‘statutory SLAPP’. This follows the coming into force last June… Read More »
Injunction and Statement in Eni Aluko’s claim against Joseph Barton
Footballer Joseph Barton was made the subject of an injunction, and a Statement in Open Court was read before Lavender J, at a hearing in Eni Aluko’s claim against Mr Barton for libel and harassment,… Read More »
Final hearing concludes in landmark journalistic communications data claim against MI5 and the PSNI
The final hearing before the Investigatory Powers Tribunal in the claim brought by Vincent Kearney and the BBC against MI5, the PSNI, the Metropolitan Police Service, Durham Constabulary and others has concluded after two days…. Read More »
5RB Hosts BVL, PASS and MTAttB Placement Students
Over the last month, 5RB has taken part in three access schemes for aspiring lawyers. The first was hosted through the Middle Temple Access to the Bar Award. The scheme is open to undergraduate and… Read More »
Judgment in TPI on Meaning in Belafonte v NGN
On 11 February 2026, Mrs Justice Collins Rice handed down judgment in the TPI on meaning in a libel claim brought by Stephen Belafonte against NGN (publishers of The Sun newspaper). Mr Belafonte contended that… Read More »
High Court hears the first application to strike out a claim as a SLAPP under CPR 3.4(2)(d)
Yesterday, Mrs Justice Collins Rice heard the first application brought before the High Court under CPR 3.4(2)(d) to strike out a claim as a SLAPP. The application was brought by the Defendants in the case… Read More »
Jonathan Scherbel-Ball reappointed to Advisory Council on National Records and Archives
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced that Jonathan Scherbel-Ball has been reappointed for a further four year term on the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives. Jonathan has sat on the… Read More »
Phone hacking limitation trial begins
A trial of the preliminary issue of limitation begins today in the remaining phone hacking claims brought by various claimants against MGN Limited, publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People. Following a… Read More »
TPI on Meaning in Belafonte v NGN
A trial of preliminary issues on meaning will take place today before Mrs Justice Collins Rice in respect of an article published in The Sun (online and in print) in June 2024 concerning Stephen Belafonte,… Read More »
£50,000 damages and an injunction awarded in TikTok libel claim
The High Court has today awarded the Claimant, a former receptionist at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield, £50,000 in damages (including aggravated damages) for libel, a permanent injunction, and an order under s.12… Read More »
Sunday Times granted transparency order in care proceedings about fabricated or induced illness
The Sunday Times is permitted to name the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust in its reporting on allegations of fabricated or induced illness (‘FII’), the condition formerly known as Munchausen syndrome… Read More »
BBC journalist granted access to documents in serious child sex abuse investigation
Following a substantially successful appeal by the BBC journalist Alex Homer, the First Tier Tribunal has directed Walsall Council to provide access to information contained within a Serious Case Review into child sexual abuse in… Read More »
High-profile trial begins in claims against Associated Newspapers
The high-profile trial brought by various claimants against Associated Newspapers Ltd has begun today. The claimants Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Elizabeth Hurley, Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Sir Simon Hughes, Prince Harry and Sadie Frost Law… Read More »
Permanent injunction and £25,000 damages granted in LinkedIn harassment claim
On 5 January 2026, the High Court handed down Judgment following a two-day trial of a claim brought in breach of contract and for harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The Court granted… Read More »
Julian Santos formally appointed KC in Gibraltar
5RB is delighted to announce that Julian Santos KC formally took silk in Gibraltar on Friday, 9 January 2026. Julian was invited to the inner bar by the Chief Justice, The Hon. Mr Justice Dudley,… Read More »
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal strikes out SLAPPs test case against Carter-Ruck Partner
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has granted an application for summary dismissal brought by Claire Gill, a Partner in the specialist London media law firm, Carter-Ruck, against proceedings brought against her by the Solicitors Regulation… Read More »