ROBERT LEE v VANESSA BROWN
Mr Lee failed to discharge the burden of proving that any of the 22 publications caused or was likely to cause serious harm to his reputation as required by section 1(1) of the Defamation Act 2013. The evidence provided was insufficient, speculative, and did not establish causation of serious harm by any individual publication.
- Parties
- Claimant: Mr Robert Lee; Defendant: Ms Vanessa Brown
- Jurisdiction
- England and Wales
- Judgment Date
- 01 July 2022
- Procedural Posture
- Defamation / Preliminary Issues Trial
- Outcome
- Claim dismissed
- Legal Topics
- Serious Harm, Defamatory Tendency, Natural and Ordinary Meaning, Publication, Causation
Case Brief
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Mr Robert Lee
Claimant
Ms Vanessa Brown
Defendant
Procedural Posture
Defamation / Preliminary Issues Trial
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the statements complained of are defamatory at common law
- 2 Whether each publication caused or is likely to cause serious harm to Mr Lee’s reputation under section 1(1) of the Defamation Act 2013
Ratio Decidendi
Mr Lee failed to discharge the burden of proving that any of the 22 publications caused or was likely to cause serious harm to his reputation as required by section 1(1) of the Defamation Act 2013. The evidence provided was insufficient, speculative, and did not establish causation of serious harm by any individual publication.
Court Disposition
Claim dismissed
Orders
- Claimant’s defamation claim dismissed for failure to establish serious harm under section 1(1) of the Defamation Act 2013
- Defendant’s unresolved counterclaim in assault, battery, and harassment to be transferred to the County Court for resolution
Full Case Text
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