Quinton v Peirce & Anor [2009] EWHC 912 (QB) (30 April 2009)

Quinton v Peirce & Anor [2009] EWHC 912 (QB) (30 April 2009)

The statements in the election leaflet were not false or malicious; they were partisan but not inaccurate or unfair. The Data Protection Act 1998 did not provide a remedy as there was no breach of the principles of accuracy or fairness. No actionable injurious falsehood or data protection breach was established.

Citation
[2009] EWHC 912 (QB)
Parties
Claimant: Christopher John Quinton; First Defendant: Robin Heys Peirce; Second Defendant: James David Cooper
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
30 April 2009
Procedural Posture
Civil / High Court Trial Judgment
Outcome
Claim dismissed
Legal Topics
Injurious Falsehood, Malicious Falsehood, Data Protection Act 1998, Election Law, Defamation (comparison)
Tort Data Protection Injurious Falsehood Malicious Falsehood Data Protection Act 1998 Election Law Defamation (comparison)

Case Brief

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Parties

Christopher John Quinton

Claimant

Robin Heys Peirce

First Defendant

James David Cooper

Second Defendant

Procedural Posture

Civil / High Court Trial Judgment

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether statements in an election leaflet constituted injurious falsehood or malicious falsehood against the claimant
  2. 2 Whether the Data Protection Act 1998 provides a remedy for alleged inaccuracies in the leaflet
  3. 3 Whether the statements were false, malicious, and caused or were calculated to cause pecuniary loss

Ratio Decidendi

The statements in the election leaflet were not false or malicious; they were partisan but not inaccurate or unfair. The Data Protection Act 1998 did not provide a remedy as there was no breach of the principles of accuracy or fairness. No actionable injurious falsehood or data protection breach was established.

Court Disposition

Claim dismissed