Media Law: Recent Work

Following the commencement of proceedings for libel, Liam Gallagher has received the apology he had sought from his brother, Noel, over false comments made by Noel after Oasis had to cancel a gig due to Liam having laryngitis.

The Court of Appeal has upheld Boris Berezovsky’s win in his 2010 libel action against the Russian State Television channel RTR and Vladimir Terluk. In March 2010, Mr Berezovsky was awarded £150,000 in libel damages over allegations broadcast on the RTR satellite channel on its news programme, Vesti Nedeli. The Court of Appeal rejected all seven grounds of appeal advanced by Mr Terluk including his attempt to introduce what he claimed to be fresh evidence from Andrei Lugovoy, the man wanted by the British authorities for the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.

On 4 January 2012 The Guardian published an article by Claire Gill concerning this case.

The Independent has apologised and paid damages to Merlin O'Doherty-Alb, a university student wrongly alleged to have participated in the London rioting of August 2011.

On 24 October 2010, at the Committee's invitation, Alasdair Pepper gave evidence before the Joint Committee of the House of Lords and House of Commons. Click here to view the evidence.

Evidence from Alasdair Pepper starts at 16:17 (1 hour 32 minutes in)

Together with seven other signatories, four Carter-Ruck clients (Hardeep Singh, Peter Murray, Parameswaran Subramanyam and Peter Duffy) have signed an open letter published in the Guardian concerning the government's proposed changes to litigation funding and their potential impact on access to justice. In the letter the signatories explain that without recourse to a "no win, no fee" agreement, they would have been unable to obtain justice by taking or defending civil claims against powerful corporations or wealthy individuals.

Adam Tudor and Isabel Hudson are advising Kate and Gerry McCann in relation to their status as 'Core Participants' in the Leveson Inquiry

Carter-Ruck is advising Rangers FC and its Chairman, Craig Whyte, in respect of the BBC Scotland programme "Rangers - the Inside Story" broadcast on 20 October.

An article by Nigel Tait about the "super-injunction" obtained by Trafigura against The Guardian in 2009 has been published by Legal Week and on the "inforrm" media blog.

The Russian businessman Sergei Polonsky has this week initiated a legal claim for libel against Evening Standard and Independent owner Alexander Lebedev.

Carter-Ruck is currently representing a number of clients in claims arising out of the phone hacking scandal.

If you require advice on these matters, please contact Nigel Tait or Alasdair Pepper.

The UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom has ruled in favour of the news channel Al Jazeera English following a complaint about its series on the 'Palestine Papers', the largest leak of confidential documents in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ofcom dismissed every element of the complaint brought by Dr Saeb Erakat on behalf of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO).

Carter-Ruck has made a written submission to the House of Commons Public Bill Committee, explaining how many ordinary people will be denied access to justice if the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill is passed in its current form.

The Times has published on its website an article by Carter-Ruck senior partner Andrew Stephenson concerning the government's proposed changes to litigation funding and their potential impact on access to justice.

Liam Gallagher, the former lead singer of Oasis, has issued High Court proceedings for libel against Noel Gallagher. The claim arises over false statements Noel made about Liam at a press conference on 6 July 2011 at the Electric Cinema.

The High Court has ordered Reginald Mengi, the Tanzanian businessman, to pay £90,000 into court as security for costs in the libel case he has brought in England against Sarah Hermitage. Mr Mengi has substantial interests in media and other businesses in Tanzania. The case relates to events in Tanzania, from where Sarah Hermitage and her husband were forced to flee in 2008, abandoning the investment in their farm, Silverdale.

The Court of Appeal has ruled that an email written by Giles Clarke, Chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Club (ECB), and sent to the President of the Indian cricket board (BCCI), is capable of being defamatory of Mr Modi, who was also awarded his costs of the appeal.  The case will now proceed to trial.

John Yates, Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has issued High Court proceedings for libel against the Evening Standard over aspects of its reporting of his conduct in the News of the World phone-hacking investigation.

Bernard Theobald, the former leader of West Lindsey District Council,  has secured a front page apology and very substantial damages against the publisher of the Lincolnshire Echo, over false allegations concerning a planning application. The newspaper also apologised to Mr Theobald in Court before Mr Justice Tugendhat.

Michael Mates, Member of Parliament from 1974 to 2010, has secured an apology and substantial libel damages from MailOnline over false allegations concerning his departure from his position as Northern Ireland Secretary.

The Committee chaired by the Master of the Rolls, Lord Neuberger, has published its findings on "super-injunctions" and open justice. The Committee was set up in April 2010 following a report of the Parliamentary Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee concerning the use and effect of such injunctions and their implications for open justice. Carter-Ruck partner Alasdair Pepper was a member of the Committee.

Magnus Boyd and Nigel Tait appeared in the BBC's highly acclaimed series "See you in Court".

On 9 May 2011, at Parliament's invitation, Nigel Tait gave evidence before the Joint Committee of the House of Lords and House of Commons on the Draft Defamation Bill.