Dr Matthew Garrett, a software engineer and free software activist, has been awarded £70,000 in damages for libel in a judgment by the High Court.
Dr Garrett issued libel proceedings over a number of defamatory publications on two free software news websites: Techrights and Tuxmachines. The websites made very serious allegations, including those of criminality and of a campaign of harassment on Internet Relay Chat. Dr Garrett denied these allegations.
A trial took place in the Royal Courts of Justice in October 2025. In a judgment handed down on 20 November 2025 by Mrs Justice Collins Rice dismissed the Defendants’ truth, public interest and honest opinion defences and found in favour of Dr Garrett. A counterclaim for harassment by the Defendants was dismissed.
In addition to the £70,000 damages awarded, Collins Rice J stated it was appropriate for an injunction to be imposed against the Defendants and that an appropriate summary of the judgment was to be published pursuant to section 12 of the Defamation Act 2013.
The judgment is available here.
The Claimant was successfully represented by Ben Hamer of 5RB, instructed by Adham Harker and Iain Wilson of Brett Wilson.