24-word message on Twitter costs man £1.4 million.
Discussion
An Indian cricket tournament organiser posts a message on twitter along the lines of 'cricketer X isn't playing in our tournament because he's corrupt'. Cricketer sues and ends up winning. Ouch.
Telegraph said:
Chris Cairns wins libel trial case against Lalit Modi
Chris Cairns said a “dark cloud” had been lifted when he won his libel trial and £90,000 in damages from Lalit Modi, who the judge said had “singularly failed” to provide reliable evidence that the former Test player was involved in fixing.
Modi now faces a bill, including his own legal costs, of about £1.4million for a 24-word message on Twitter sent in January 2010 accusing Cairns of a past record of fixing.
The judge rejected Modi’s defence of justification and said he had “singularly failed to provide any reliable evidence that Mr Cairns was involved in match-fixing or spot-fixing or even that there were strong grounds for suspicion that he was”.
In a withering assessment, Justice David Bean said Modi’s defence had relied on a string of witnesses who changed their story as well as an anti-corruption officer whose evidence was “partisan to the point of being unprofessional”. The “flavour” of Modi’s defence was heavily criticised by the judge who granted an injunction against him repeating the allegations.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/newzealand/9166892/Chris-Cairns-wins-libel-trial-case-against-Lalit-Modi.htmlChris Cairns said a “dark cloud” had been lifted when he won his libel trial and £90,000 in damages from Lalit Modi, who the judge said had “singularly failed” to provide reliable evidence that the former Test player was involved in fixing.
Modi now faces a bill, including his own legal costs, of about £1.4million for a 24-word message on Twitter sent in January 2010 accusing Cairns of a past record of fixing.
The judge rejected Modi’s defence of justification and said he had “singularly failed to provide any reliable evidence that Mr Cairns was involved in match-fixing or spot-fixing or even that there were strong grounds for suspicion that he was”.
In a withering assessment, Justice David Bean said Modi’s defence had relied on a string of witnesses who changed their story as well as an anti-corruption officer whose evidence was “partisan to the point of being unprofessional”. The “flavour” of Modi’s defence was heavily criticised by the judge who granted an injunction against him repeating the allegations.
FredericRobinson said:
How enforceable is that though? Could Cairns end up out of pocket having to pay his own legal fees?
Well interestingly, the Indian chap was declared bankrupt only a few days before this judgement. How convenient.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/twenty20/...
Worth hundreds of millions in India but technically penniless in the UK.
Wonder how this one plays out.
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff