Arlene Foster defamation case

[Cupramax]

Can’t see a thread on this.

Weird one this, TV doctor thinks defaming Arlene Foster on Twitter might be a good idea, gets his arse handed to him, along with £125k damages plus Arlene’s legal costs. Plus the fact he ignored multiple warnings of proceedings. What a pillock..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-572...

[Blue62]

Strange story, I find it hard to believe that Foster is married, let alone having an affair, that would require her to find two consenting males.

[oddman]

Blue62 said:

Strange story, I find it hard to believe that Foster is married, let alone having an affair, that would require her to find two consenting males.

You got there first

Jessen is gay. Upset that DUP not endorsing gay marriage. Rather to keen to believe and spread some gossip about their leader.

Could get him into trouble with the GMC (I've sure some vindictive troll will refer him) and then £125000 will be chickenfeed

[LaurasOtherHalf]

oddman said:

Blue62 said:

Strange story, I find it hard to believe that Foster is married, let alone having an affair, that would require her to find two consenting males.

You got there first

Jessen is gay. Upset that DUP not endorsing gay marriage. Rather to keen to believe and spread some gossip about their leader.

Could get him into trouble with the GMC (I've sure some vindictive troll will refer him) and then £125000 will be chickenfeed

Pretty much this. Some of these slebs need a reality check and a £125k slap around the chops might just do it. It's one thing spreading gossip around your mates, let's be honest it's not too dissimilar to another rumour everyone has heard about a devolved nation's leader or even, one or two of our own previous PMs.

But to be so self centred you think you can publish these rumours and expect no come back? Idiot.

I understand his beef with the DUP, their attitudes go a bit beyond not endorsing gay marriage but that's their opinion. Calling them out, campaigning and engaging them to change is absolutely fine.

Publishing unfounded tittle tattle in the misguided belief that because you've got an echo chamber of fawning fans on social media to play to is daft in the extreme. Not least to someone with the brains to practice medicine.

[Welshbeef]

The odd show I’ve watched he’s been really good on TV.

I understand his grudge - but to spread lies online defamation of character and they have kids too is way too far.
I wonder what her legal costs were?

[Captain Raymond Holt]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

oddman said:

Blue62 said:

Strange story, I find it hard to believe that Foster is married, let alone having an affair, that would require her to find two consenting males.

You got there first

Jessen is gay. Upset that DUP not endorsing gay marriage. Rather to keen to believe and spread some gossip about their leader.

Could get him into trouble with the GMC (I've sure some vindictive troll will refer him) and then £125000 will be chickenfeed

Pretty much this. Some of these slebs need a reality check and a £125k slap around the chops might just do it. It's one thing spreading gossip around your mates, let's be honest it's not too dissimilar to another rumour everyone has heard about a devolved nation's leader or even, one or two of our own previous PMs.

But to be so self centred you think you can publish these rumours and expect no come back? Idiot.

I understand his beef with the DUP, their attitudes go a bit beyond not endorsing gay marriage but that's their opinion. Calling them out, campaigning and engaging them to change is absolutely fine.

Publishing unfounded tittle tattle in the misguided belief that because you've got an echo chamber of fawning fans on social media to play to is daft in the extreme. Not least to someone with the brains to practice medicine.

He didn’t just publish them, he doubled, no tripled down when approached by her lawyer.

I believe he’s paying £125k plus her legal fees too. Ouch.

[biggles330d]

While I like the guy's show on TV, the OH works in a school and half her life is taken up with dealing with the fallout of stuff on social media from kids and parents. Teaching kids falls a long way behind clearing up the mess left by people saying random st on social media that causes unrest. I'm with her in that there needs to be some pretty damning verdicts and high profile financial pain for people in the public eye that say stuff with no basis in facts. Saying 'sorry' and walking away from the wreckage isn't enough. People putting their brains in gear and thinking of the consequences before they do it needs to be the goal.

I'm no Arlene Foster fan but this is the correct verdict in my view. Deliberately doing stupid things needs to have consequences.

[2fast748]

It's a funny one this because the rumours about Arlene were all over twitter for a while, most people picking up on the irony of it being her Catholic chauffeur (allegedly, ahem!).

I do follow him on twitter but he does come and go a lot, I think he has said he has mental problems in the past and the abuse he gets on twitter triggers it!

[Welshbeef]

2fast748 said:

It's a funny one this because the rumours about Arlene were all over twitter for a while, most people picking up on the irony of it being her Catholic chauffeur (allegedly, ahem!).

I do follow him on twitter but he does come and go a lot, I think he has said he has mental problems in the past and the abuse he gets on twitter triggers it!

Look at Rylan Clarke - originally i though what a tool on X factor music contest, however time has past and his R2 Sat show and him on Strictly takes 2 he is sublime.
However he gets drawn into Twitter - and is now off sick (not covid).

I think people really overlook the odd comment here and there without realising the person they have lobbed a comment too could be fragile etc and there is little recourse / we see it on PH plenty post curl things towards others (which I’d doubt any normal person would dream of doing face to face) say no more.

[Captain Raymond Holt]

2fast748 said:

It's a funny one this because the rumours about Arlene were all over twitter for a while, most people picking up on the irony of it being her Catholic chauffeur (allegedly, ahem!).

I do follow him on twitter but he does come and go a lot, I think he has said he has mental problems in the past and the abuse he gets on twitter triggers it!

I think it comes down to his ‘reach’ and when asked/told to take it down he refused, I think his response was something like ‘LOL’. I’d guess thats a reason why they went after him, so to speak.

[Welshbeef]

Captain Raymond Holt said:

I think it comes down to his ‘reach’ and when asked/told to take it down he refused, I think his response was something like ‘LOL’. I’d guess thats a reason why they went after him, so to speak.

That LOL is £125k + I’d wager £20-30k min legal fees. That’s a bunch of 5’s on the chin if ever there was the case.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Blue62 said:

Strange story, I find it hard to believe that Foster is married, let alone having an affair, that would require her to find two consenting males.

She's certainly let herself go since the Hot Gossip days.

[Electro1980]

2fast748 said:

It's a funny one this because the rumours about Arlene were all over twitter for a while, most people picking up on the irony of it being her Catholic chauffeur (allegedly, ahem!).

I do follow him on twitter but he does come and go a lot, I think he has said he has mental problems in the past and the abuse he gets on twitter triggers it!

All the more reason for him to understand the hurt could cause.

[oddman]

Welshbeef said:

That LOL is £125k + I’d wager £20-30k min legal fees. That’s a bunch of 5’s on the chin if ever there was the case.

And like I said upthread if the GMC come after him it will be a massive kick in the balls

The last media doc who was sanctioned by the GMC I can recall was Raj Persaud for plagiarism. He'd written chapters and articles lifting a large amount of content without attributing it. If he'd been a little more scholalrly and cited his sources there could have been no complaint. His media career never recovered.

I don't think the GMC will be kind to Jessen TBH. Most of the sanctimonious do gooders who populate fitness to practise panels are more of the Foster than the Jessen mould. I'd expect his media career will be in the toilet too as if he's suspended he can't exactly go eyeball to eyeball with peoples' embarrassing bits any more.

Pretty tragic really

[Gareth79]

Welshbeef said:

Captain Raymond Holt said:

I think it comes down to his ‘reach’ and when asked/told to take it down he refused, I think his response was something like ‘LOL’. I’d guess thats a reason why they went after him, so to speak.

That LOL is £125k + I’d wager £20-30k min legal fees. That’s a bunch of 5’s on the chin if ever there was the case.

Might be more! https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/arlene-foster-l...

"Foster’s lawyer, Paul Tweed, told The Times that the judge had granted “indemnity costs” against Jessen, which is rare in defamation cases and is done to penalise a party for conduct during the litigation. It is estimated that Jessen’s total costs bill will exceed £300,000."

[Oilchange]

That's one hell of a price to pay for opening yer gob and thinking you're immune to the consequences just because 'Twitter'. £125k just the tip of the iceberg, crumbs!

[Higgs boson]

Actions have consequences ... who'd have thunk it?

[JeffreyD]

I wonder how much the chauffeur will get.

[Francy555]

Apparently he's trying to crowd fund the fine

[Jasandjules]

Good stuff. He has been seriously rude, in my opinion, to lots of people on twitter etc.. Good to see someone take it far enough, maybe next time he will think twice (suspect not!)