Pharmacist loses slander action
A Birmingham pharmacist has failed in the slander claim he had brought against a fellow member of his Sikh Community Centre. The two men were members of the Ravidassia Sikh Community Centre in Darlaston, Birmingham. At… Read More »
Danish newspaper apologises to bank
Kaupthing Bank, its Executive Chairman, Sigurdur Einarsson, and two subsidaries have settled their libel action against the Danish newspaper, Ekstra Bladet. The companies and Mr Einarsson brought proceedings over a series of articles in English and… Read More »
Witness granted anonymity in libel trial
Lawyers acting for one of the principal defence witnesses in a libel case due to be tried next week have obtained an order that her identity must be protected from disclosure when she gives evidence…. Read More »
5RB Charity Quiz 2008
5RB hosted its annual charity pub quiz at the Bung Hole yesterday evening, to raise funds for the Bar Pro Bono Unit and the Free Representation Unit (FRU). Teams from leading media organisations and solicitors firms entered the competition… Read More »
Big Brother’s Lisa loses libel appeal
The Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed Lisa Jeynes’s appeal against Eady J’s order striking out her case against News Group Newspapers and News Group Magazines Limited. Miss Jeynes, a former Big Brother contestant, had complained… Read More »
BNP members refused permission to appeal in reportage case
Two British National Party general election candidates who lost a libel action over an article published in anti-fascist magazine Searchlight have today been refused permission to appeal to the House of Lords. Eady J held in… Read More »
Double attack on Ryanair advertising
Low cost airline Ryanair have been sued by French President Sarkozy and his girlfriend Carla Bruni over an advert placed in the French media on the same day as the airline dismissed the UK advertising… Read More »
Stephen Bate joins CEDR panel
5RB’s Stephen Bate has become the first practising barrister to join CEDR’s Solve Direct mediator panel, a service which allows mediation users to enter into direct deals with selected mediators, with back-up services and quality… Read More »
PCC rejects childbirth privacy complaint
The Press Complaints Commission has rejected a complaint brought against the Daily Record from Paul Ferris, who was described by the paper as a “gangster”, and his partner Carolyn Cunningham, over the reporting of the… Read More »
New York to fight ‘libel tourism’
Proposed legislation in the New York State legislature would prevent individuals who had obtained libel judgments in more claimant-friendly jurisdictions, such as England and Wales, from enforcing them in the state. The proposed legislation, introduced by Senate Deputy… Read More »
Sienna Miller wins privacy action
Actress Sienna Miller has obtained default judgment in her privacy action against Warren Richardson, the photographer who took nude photos of her on a closed film set. The “highly intrusive” pictures of Miss Miller… Read More »
Press regulator reports record number of complaints
The Press Complaints Commission has reported a 31% rise in complaints during 2007. The self-regulatory body received 4,320 complaints last year, including 485 complaints about a Daily Mirror comment piece on the McCanns, and 143… Read More »
Media challenge secrecy in murder trial
Seven national newspaper groups have challenged a bid to have parts of the trial of the man accused of murdering writer Allan Chappelow heard in private. The unusual secrecy order would allow witnesses at the trial of… Read More »
Government proposes changes to copyright exceptions
The Government has proposed allowing private copying of music and films, allowing parodies of copyright works and relaxing copying restrictions for schools and libraries in a major intellectual property consultation. The process is intended to implement many of… Read More »
OK! sues Heat over celebrity pregnancy story
OK! magazine has issued a copyright claim against rival celebrity gossip magazine Heat over coverage of Jamie Lynn Spears’ pregnancy. OK!’s North American edition published an exclusive interview with Ms Spears, the younger sister of singer Britney, in which… Read More »
PCC upholds privacy complaint against OK!
The PCC has upheld a privacy complaint against OK! Magazine in respect of an article about a male celebrity which stated that he had been “spotted at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting” with his friend, the complainant. The… Read More »
Doctor settles lengthy libel action
A talented junior doctor who was suspended from work for nearly five years has won an apology from Cambridgeshire health officials. The doctor, who can be referred to only as “Z” for legal reasons, was born with a serious and life-threatening… Read More »
Channel Four fined £1.5m
Media watchdog Ofcom has fined Channel Four £1.5m for misconduct involving phone-in competitions on its Richard and Judy and Deal or No Deal programmes. It found that viewers were urged to call in to the Richard… Read More »
MOD obtains gagging order
The High Court has imposed an order preventing media publicity of allegations of abuse by British soldiers serving in Iraq. Lawyers for Iraqi families launched a High Court challenge on human rights grounds to the… Read More »
Kidman wins libel damages
Nicole Kidman has accepted substantial damages from the Daily Telegraph over allegations that she had broken her contract with perfume company Chanel. In its Spy gossip column on DATE, the newspaper published an article falsely alleging that while in London… Read More »