Belief in the public interest (Lachaux v Independent Print Ltd and another)

Table of contents

• What are the practical implications of this case?
• What was the background?
• What did the court decide?
• Public interest
• Damages
• Case details

Article summary

TMT analysis: This is the latest round of proceedings in the Lachaux litigation odyssey. In earlier stages of the proceedings, the defendants had sought to argue that the claimant’s claim did not satisfy the serious harm threshold in section 1(1) of the Defamation Act 2013 (DA 2013). In these latest proceedings, it was for the High Court to determine liability. The court rejected the defence of publication on a matter of public interest and awarded the claimant £50,000 in damages against the first defendant and £70,000 against the second defendant. Written by Dominic Walker, solicitor at JMW Solicitors LLP.