Harassment & Blackmail

5RB barristers are highly experienced in advising on harassment claims under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. Such claims may involve the publication or threatened publication of defamatory or private material, cyberstalking and harassment via social media (‘trolling’), or harassment of a company’s employees. Harassment law can also provide remedies for claimants who are victims of blackmail attempts.

Our barristers are experienced and skilled in dealing with matters where there are parallel criminal proceedings and in cases against ‘Persons Unknown’. Where necessary, we can provide advice on an urgent basis.

If you need to reach us outside of office hours please call: Andrew Love on +44 (0)7932 647040; Antony Braeger on +44 (0)7717 533526 or Georgina Gills on +44 (0)781 7795 080.

5RB barristers have acted for both claimants and defendants in a number of significant harassment cases, including:

• Optosafe Limited & Anr v Robertson [2026] EWHC 12 (KB): A claim in which an ex-employee published a series of posts on LinkedIn that were disparaging and derogatory of his former employer and its officers and employees; sent a number of direct messages to his former colleagues; and took steps to represent an ongoing association between himself and his former employer. The publications were held to amount to a breach of contract and harassment contrary to the PHA 1997.
• McGee v Lewis [2023] EWHC 1813 (KB): A case in which a songwriter and singer published defamatory and private material and conducted a campaign of harassment against a music industry executive following the breakdown of their professional and personal relationships.
• Blackledge v Persons Unknown [2021] EWHC 1994 (QB): A case in which the claimant, a senior and respected academic, was the victim of a campaign of online abuse in the form of a number of blog posts anonymously published online, which made false and defamatory allegations of sexual misconduct.