Harassment and Blackmail

Helping clients who are the subject of harassment and blackmail, particularly online or on social media, are a core part of Carter-Ruck’s leading media and reputation management practice

We have acted in ground-breaking harassment claims in the English courts, for high profile individuals as well as those who conduct their lives outside the public eye.  We have secured interim and permanent injunctions to protect our clients from such conduct.

Harassment and blackmail will sometimes entail a criminal law element and we frequently work with specialist criminal solicitors on such cases.

It is now a well-established practice for the civil courts to adapt their procedures to protect the rights of victims of attempted blackmail. This includes the ability to apply for hearings to be held in private and for anonymity for claimants (and defendants where necessary) in harassment and blackmail claims. Where the perpetrator of harassment or blackmail is unknown or their identity concealed online, a court can also order entities such as website operators to identity and contact details.

Our experience of harassment cases includes online publication of false or private material, stalking, so-called “revenge porn” cases, and national and cross-border disputes.

Our clients

  • Celebrities and high-profile individuals and their families
  • Businessmen, CEOs and Ultra High Net Worth individuals
  • Leading political figures around the world
  • Large and multi-national corporations
  • Charities and charitable trustees

24/7 Partner-led Crisis Response

We have a 24-hour, 365 days of the year crisis management response team – one of our specialist partners is always available to respond to urgent crises at any time.

Case studies

Recent successful matters include the following (as can be seen, by their nature these reports are anonymised).

  • BVG v LAR [2020] EWHC 931 (QB), an anonymised case for a private individual.
  • NPV v QEL & ZED [2018] EWHC 703 (QB), an anonymised case for a private individual in the context of a short relationship with the first defendant, after which repeated demands for money were made
  • Representing claimants (including a minor) in a matter relating to stalking and the threat of publication of private information
  • SOJ v JAO [2019] EWHC 2569 (QB), an anonymised case for a businessman.
  • Advising a charity in respect of the repeated publication of false and defamatory statements made to third parties, and violence, theft and stalking of charitable trustees
  • AXB v BXA [2018] EWHC 588 (QB), an anonymised case for a private businessman who had a brief relationship during and after which BXA made repeated demands for money