Bull vDesporte [2019] EWHC 1650 (QB) (26 June 2019)

Bull vDesporte [2019] EWHC 1650 (QB) (26 June 2019)

The claimant had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the information published about his sexual relationship, divorce, children, and health. The defendant's publication was not justified by public interest or consent, and the information was not already in the public domain. The defendant infringed the claimant's...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2019] EWHC 1650
Parties
Claimant: Gareth Bull; Defendant: Donna Desporte
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
26 June 2019
Procedural Posture
Privacy and Copyright Claim / Final Judgment
Outcome
Claim allowed
Legal Topics
Misuse of Private Information, Copyright Infringement, Freedom of Expression, Reasonable Expectation of Privacy, Public Interest Defence
Privacy Law Copyright Law Media Law Misuse of Private Information Copyright Infringement Freedom of Expression Reasonable Expectation of Privacy Public Interest Defence

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Parties

Gareth Bull

Claimant

Donna Desporte

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Privacy and Copyright Claim / Final Judgment

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether publication of details of the claimant's private life in the defendant's book constituted misuse of private information
  2. 2 Whether the claimant had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the information published
  3. 3 Whether the defendant's publication was justified by public interest or consent

Ratio Decidendi

The claimant had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the information published about his sexual relationship, divorce, children, and health. The defendant's publication was not justified by public interest or consent, and the information was not already in the public domain. The defendant infringed the claimant's copyright in the photographs, as he was the author and did not consent to their publication.

Court Disposition

Claim allowed

Orders

  • Permanent injunction restraining publication of the private information and photographs
  • Damages to be assessed